Activists again prevent officials from closing down school

For the second time this week, activists today prevented Education department officials from closing down a century-old school at nearby Malaparamba.
More than 100 members of the Malaparamba school protection committee, including parents of the students, prevented the officials led by the Assistant Education Officer (AEO) from entering the Malaparamba Aided Upper Primary School to execute a Kerala High Court order allowing its closure, police said.
A minor scuffle broke out between police and the protesters but none was injured, police said.
AEO K S Kusumam returned after an hour, without executing the court order, they said.
On May 23 also, the AEO was prevented by the committee members from closing down the school.

The manager of the school had moved the High Court seeking to close down the institution, saying it had become 'uneconomical' to run it and also the building had become weak.

The court allowed the prayer and directed the state government to implement the order before May 27.
Subsequently, the DPI had issued an order for closure of the school last month.
However, the protection committee members have been agitating for continuance of the school.