Trinity principal cites jurisdiction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The management of Trinity Lyceum, where a tenth standard student committed suicide in October, is under pressure to act on a directive of the education department, but principal S. John says the ICSE School is outside the purview of the state government.

Mr John, who has been heading the 4,000-strong school for nearly three decades, told media persons on Saturday that the deputy director of education has no locus standi to issue directives to the school, governed by the ICSE board.

He was reacting to the DDE K.S. Sreekala’s directive on Friday to relieve the principal from the post as his explanation regarding the incident of teachers accused of suicide abetment resuming duty by cake cutting was “not satisfactory”.

She pointed out that the principal had no right to continue as he had
also crossed 60-year age limit. However, Mr John, aged 68 years, said ICSE principals were not governed by the CBSE age limit and he would remain in office as long the management desired.

The DDE had also found the circulation of photos of the celebration at the school as an insult not only to the student, but the entire society. She had sought action against others involved in the celebration.

However, the government’s writ may not be easy to implement though the DDE has threatened to proceed if the management failed to act.

Lyceum sources said the school would approach the court to check the government “interference” in a case already being probed by the police”.  
However, a section of opinion within the management did not favour a direct confrontation with the government.  

If the management fails to abide by the order, the department will move further with proceedings to cancel the NOC of the school, says the DDE order.

General education secretary A. Shajahan told this newspaper that the school management had agreed to comply with any decision taken by the government while applying for the government NOC to start the ICSE syllabus school.
The state government can write to the Central board to cancel the affiliation.

However, the final decision rested with the central board, said Mr Shajahan.
The school functioned very much within the jurisdiction of the state government and the government could take any decision to safeguard interests of students. This was because the state was responsible for the safety of students, said Mr Shajahan.

The student, Gauri Neha, jumped off the primary block of the school on October 20 and died of injuries three days later. Teachers Sindhu Paul and Crescence Navis, accused of abetment, went absconding for nearly a month before surrendering to the Kollam District Magistrate Court.