Kozhikode: Malapparamba school reopens

Kozhikode: The Malapparamba aided upper primary school, which is at the centre of a controversy, reopened on Wednesday with a grand  Praveshnolsavam  to welcome  16 new students to various classes, including six to class I, who came  with bags filled with pencil boxes, water bottles, books, colour sketches and  chocolates.

This is the third Praveshnolsavam being conducted at the school after it was ordered to be closed by the education department. The school protection  committee, which has resisted  the High Court order for its closure, initiated the reopening pinning its hopes on the Supreme Court and the state government which has promised to take it over by issuing an ordinance.

The admission of the students  was  not  registered officially as per the norms of  Kerala education rules, according to which no admissions should be made to an institution that has received the closure order. “But we hope to register  the new admissions officially in the next two days with the permission of the education department,”  said  P.N. Shiji, one of the eight teachers in the school.

The reopening of the school was disregarding the stand of the school manager who had tried every means to close it down.  But the school protection committee  fought for the poor students, Shiji said.

As part of  Praveshnolsavam, saplings were distributed to the students  by Ramesh Kavil, noted poet. The protection committee convenor said that they were awaiting a positive order from the Supreme Court.  “The government has also assured us to issue  an ordinance to take over the school from its manager,” he said.