The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed that no fee, charge, or expense that becomes a hurdle in students’ completion of primary education should be sought by schools in the State.
The Director of Public Instruction (DPI) should issue a direction making this clear, a Division Bench of the commission said.
The commission was acting on a complaint that a child who did not pay the unauthorised charge was subjected to corporal punishment.
The commission directed that no fee or expense should be collected from students of class 9 and 10 without the permission of the General Education Department and forcible collection should not be allowed. No child should be discriminated against in the name on non-payment of fee.
The commission should be intimated of the steps taken in this regard within 40 days, the direction said.
