Late to school by 3 minutes, boy made to run laps, sit alone in dark room
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links. A 10-year-old Class 5 student from Cochin Public School, Thrikkakkara, was allegedly made to run two laps around the school ground before being confined alone in a dark room for arriving three minutes late on Thursday, August 14. Following public outrage, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has directed the Ernakulam Deputy Director to investigate the incident and submit a report. Further, the education department has also issued a notice warning that the school’s NOC would be cancelled if such an incident happens again. “They made me sit in a dark classroom and told me I wouldn’t be allowed back to my own class,” the student told the media. Later, school authorities called his parents and informed them that he would no longer be allowed to study there.The boy’s parents, relatives, and local social workers brought the incident to public attention. Members of Student Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students' Union (KSU) also staged protests on the school grounds, calling the act a “heinous crime.” “We have lodged a complaint with the Deputy Director and the school management. They said they will comply with whatever action is deemed necessary,” the boy’s father said.The school administration has stated that 8–10 students, including the boy, were late that day and were all asked to jog two laps. They denied the allegations of making the boy sit in a dark room by saying that the boy was made to sit in a separate room with a teacher, instead of making him sit outside the Principal's office. According to them, a rule printed in the school diary requires latecomers to jog three laps around the ground. “Who gave them permission to print such rules in the school diary? Making up regulations to suit their own preferences and punishing children as part of it is unacceptable,” Sivankutty said. “Separating the child from other students, making him wait in a dark room until his parents arrived, and the treatment of both the child and his parents by the school staff and administration are all deeply problematic,” Ashiq, an SFI worker, had told Mathrubhumi news. The boy’s family has filed a police complaint against the school at the Thrikkakkara police station. The Deputy Directorate of Education has inspected the premises and issued a notice warning that the school’s NOC would be cancelled if such harsh practices continue.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
A 10-year-old Class 5 student from Cochin Public School, Thrikkakkara, was allegedly made to run two laps around the school ground before being confined alone in a dark room for arriving three minutes late on Thursday, August 14.
Following public outrage, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has directed the Ernakulam Deputy Director to investigate the incident and submit a report. Further, the education department has also issued a notice warning that the school’s NOC would be cancelled if such an incident happens again.
“They made me sit in a dark classroom and told me I wouldn’t be allowed back to my own class,” the student told the media. Later, school authorities called his parents and informed them that he would no longer be allowed to study there.
The boy’s parents, relatives, and local social workers brought the incident to public attention. Members of Student Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students' Union (KSU) also staged protests on the school grounds, calling the act a “heinous crime.”
“We have lodged a complaint with the Deputy Director and the school management. They said they will comply with whatever action is deemed necessary,” the boy’s father said.
The school administration has stated that 8–10 students, including the boy, were late that day and were all asked to jog two laps. They denied the allegations of making the boy sit in a dark room by saying that the boy was made to sit in a separate room with a teacher, instead of making him sit outside the Principal's office. According to them, a rule printed in the school diary requires latecomers to jog three laps around the ground.
“Who gave them permission to print such rules in the school diary? Making up regulations to suit their own preferences and punishing children as part of it is unacceptable,” Sivankutty said.
“Separating the child from other students, making him wait in a dark room until his parents arrived, and the treatment of both the child and his parents by the school staff and administration are all deeply problematic,” Ashiq, an SFI worker, had told Mathrubhumi news.
The boy’s family has filed a police complaint against the school at the Thrikkakkara police station. The Deputy Directorate of Education has inspected the premises and issued a notice warning that the school’s NOC would be cancelled if such harsh practices continue.
