Students' protest draws instant response from govt

Students of a government school in a tribal-dominated village near here today secured an 'instant' response and assurance from Kerala Government on their demand for appointment of teachers before calling off their two-day old indefinite fast.
School leader Yadu Krishna and another student Sandhya K, supported by their schoolmates of the Government High School at Mamalakkandam, launched the indefinite fast in front of the District Education Office here yesterday, seeking adequate number of teachers.
The students' protest caught the attention of public, who cutting across party lines, had flocked to the venue expressing solidarity with the cause yesterday.
With the protest also getting wide media coverage, the issue figured in the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Thiruvananthapuram today.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, state Rural Development Minister K C Joseph said the government has decided to appoint adequate number of teachers for the school.
The students, however, refused to call off agitation, saying they need to get a written assurance, following which Kothamangalam MLA, T U Kuruvilla, gave a letter to District Education Officer Leena Ram, conveying the government's decision to appoint adequate number of teachers.

After the DEO handed over a copy of the letter to them, Yadhu Krishna announced to the gathering that they were ending their agitation in view of the assurance.
The students had alleged that they were in "complete dark" as there was not a single teacher in the high school.

"Not a single teacher has been posted at the school, despite representations given to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb. We are in complete dark. We are concerned about our future. Contract teachers who were posted left as they were not given salaries," the agitating students had claimed yesterday.