Online classes to begin in August for Kallakurichi school students

Online classes for students of the vandalised Kallakurichi school will begin next Wednesday, August 3, Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh said. The Minister also added that live classes for students of Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 will begin from next week. This comes nearly a week after the school in question, Kaniyamoor Sakthi Matriculation School, was vandalised by people protesting the death of a Class 12 girl who was found dead in the school premises on July 13.

The school was damaged amid violent protests on July 17. Hundreds of people stormed the school premises, and the situation escalated to violence resulting in scores of school buses and other vehicles, along with buildings, were burnt down. On July 21, the district education and administration departments in Kallakurichi reported that the school building has developed several cracks and deemed it as unsafe for use. As many as 170 classrooms, 17 school buses, 30 two wheelers and several other properties were damaged by the protestors. Apart from that, the school’s computer room which could accommodate 100 students was also completely destroyed. More than 500 ceiling fans were destroyed and students of the school lost all their education-related documents in the incident.

On July 21, the State Commissioner for Child Protection Rights, Saraswathi Rangasamy, visited the school along with a team of officials to conduct an investigation. After the investigation, the Commissioner reported that the school did not have permission to run a hostel on its premises. She also added that if the school had sought a licence to run a hostel in its premises, it would have been required to appoint wardens and security guards for the hostel. The team mentioned that no complaints were made so far regarding the death of students in relation to the school’s finances. They added that if any complaints are made after this, necessary action will be taken.

The Class 12 student’s funeral was conducted on 23 July in her hometown Vepur in Cuddalore district, amid heavy police security.