HC orders police help for closing down school

Kochi: The high court on Tuesday ordered the implementation of its earlier order allowing the closure of the Malaparamba aided upper primary school before May 27 with police assistance. The management had sought its closure saying that the school, with over 60 students, was uneconomical.
Locals had been holding protests against the decision to close the 140-year-old school and had prevented implementation of the court order on Monday.
Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar issued the order for implementing the court's decision of January 18, which was issued on a petition filed by school manager P K Padmarajan. The manager had challenged an order of August 6 by the general education department secretary, rejecting an application for closing the school. Continuance of the school was necessary in public interest going by the provisions of Right to Education Act, the rejection order had stated.
After hearing the case, the court had held that the right of the manager to close an aided school was considered by it in a 2015 case (Padmanabhan AA vs Director of Public Instruction). The right of the manger to close the school is not affected by provisions of Right to Education Act when such school is not recognized under the Act, the high court had held in the 2015 case.
Since the Malaparamba school does not have recognition under the Act, the right of the manager to close it was absolute, the high court had held.