Kerala: Schools in cash for TC' scam may face action

ALAPPUZHA: The district education officer (DEO), Cherthala, has recommended action against a few government and aided schools which had collected cash for issuing transfer certificates to students of class IX and X. This follows a report published by DC on June 21 revealing four such cases  in three schools under Cherthala DEO.  They  had collected cash for TC,  including  from a student of  Cherthala south HSS, who had passed SSLC examination with A-plus for all subjects.     

The DEO conducted an inquiry into the matter and submitted a report to the deputy director (education) suggesting action against  the schools.  The director of public instruction  had asked the  deputy director (education) to conduct the inquiry  based on the DC report.    The schools had violated the DPI order issued on June 4 clarifying that no students from class IX and X should be asked to pay fee for issuance of any certificate without the consent of the DPI. 

The students in many schools in Alappuzha, including Areeparambu HS, Cherthala South HS, Kandamagalam HS an Arthungal HS had paid  between Rs 150 and  Rs 250 for getting TC. Mr  V. Asokan, deputy director (education), here said that the report would be soon sent to the DPI. “Our office has received the inquiry report and it is  being vetted by the section concerned. The action has to be taken by the DPI,” he told DC.

Earlier, the headmistress of Kandamangalam HS had admitted to DC that they had collected at least '250 per head for setting up CC cameras inside the school as per the decision taken by the Parent-Teachers’ Association. A source in DD office said that the  schools  had collected money in the name of welfare.  “It took a month  to conclude the investigation. The  report has been submitted to the DD office which will hand it over to the DPI at the earliest,” the source said.