Despite a Kerala Government order asking schools to be shut till August 29, parents allege that a prominent school in Kozhikode has been holding classes for students from August 20, completely disregarding their wards' difficulties to reach the school. The Department of General and Higher Education of the Government of Kerala had issued a circular asking all schools in the state to be closed until August 29, owing to the floods and related loss
The school has apparently started special classes for grades IX - XII, from Monday, August 20. An SMS that was sent to the parents by Fr Johny Kanjirathinkal, Principal, Devagiri CMI Public School, Kozhikode, read, "Your ward of class X has to attend special class on 20 and 21 August from 7.50 am to 2.00 pm...Only special route bus will ply. (sic)" Established in 2002 by the Fathers of the St Thomas Province of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), in Ummalathoor, the school is a co-ed CBSE institution.
The parents, on the other hand, have said that they have found it difficult to send their children to school — as many of them are stranded in different parts of the city. Since only special bus routes ply and the transport situation in the city is yet to become normal again, they allege that the children have to walk a few kilometres to reach the bus pick-up points.
Most families are still to return home though the flood water has begun receding, "We're yet to shift back to our house which was flooded. Also, it is not advisable to go back immediately after the rains are over, owing to the risk of infection and the presence of snakes and other reptiles," says a parent who didn't wish to be named. "Also, the roads are flooded and my child wasn't able to go to the road where the school bus came," she adds, distraught at the school's apathy. The parent also received an SMS saying that her ward was absent during the classes, because she never made it there.
The principal, on the other hand, says that the schedule for the classes was decided in advance and had to be conducted to complete the syllabus on time. "We can't compromise with the school schedule under any circumstances. Also, I don't think that the situation in Kozhikode is that bad," he said. But when he was asked about the direction by the education department, he declined to answer.