Kid in kennel row: HC upholds closure of school

Kochi: The High Court Monday upheld the closure of a school in Thiruvananthapuram where a four-year-old boy was locked up in a kennel in September this year.

Dismissing the appeals by the Principal, the Manager, the teacher and a parent challenging the closure of Jawahar English Medium school, a division bench comprising Justices Antony Dominique and Anil K Narendran said that considering the future of the children, unrecognised schools cannot be allowed to continue.

The boy was locked up in a kennel last month on the orders of a teacher as punishment for talking to friends.

A single judge had set aside the Government Order and found that the school had no recognition.

Soon after media reports on the incident, the Director of Public Instruction (DPI) ordered closure of the school, located at Kudpapanakunnu on the outskirts of the state capital and having classes from LKG to Class 7.

The DPI also ordered shifting of the students to nearby schools.

This order was stayed by the government and the school was reopened.

Challenging the government decision, the boy's mother moved the High Court, seeking its closure.

The court allowed the petition, finding that the G.O. Was issued without consideration of the order of DPI.

Child rights campaigners and social activists had voiced serious concern over the incident and called for stern action, including shutting down of this kind of institutions many of which are run without recognition.