Ensure complaint boxes are installed in all schools: Kerala High Court to State

The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Education Department to ensure installation of drop boxes for students to submit complaints anonymously in all schools in the State [Faizal Kulappadam @ Faizal N v State of Kerala]..A division bench of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly issued the order noting that circulars issued by the government in this regard had not been implemented in all schools "In the light of the above circulars extracted supra, we are of the view that wherever the drop boxes have not been installed, the same have to be done in all Government/aided and unaided schools, as expeditiously as possible. In addition to the above, we direct all the Deputy Director of Education, all the Regional Deputy Director of Education (HSE Section), all the Assistant Directors (VHSE Section) and all the District/Assistant Educational Officers to send periodical report to the Director of General Education, Thiruvananthapuram, setting out the nature of complaints and finality of the same", the judgment stated.The Court also directed the State General Education Department to issue appropriate directions for effective monitoring and implementation of the same and to put an effective mechanism for the same in place..The Court issued the directions on a public interest litigation (PIL), moved through advocate Jomy K Jose, seeking to implement a Government Order (GO) issued in 2016 which directed all schools in Kerala including government/ aided and unaided (Higher Secondary, Vocational Higher Secondary) schools to setup complaint boxes. The GO was issued on the basis of a request from the Child Welfare Commission to enable students to anonymously raise grievances especially relating to any physical abuse or sexual harssment they might be experiencing.The Go explained in detail how to deal with a complaint from a student. However, the petitioner alleged that due to the lackadaisical approach on the part of the respondents, most schools in Kerala failed to setup complaint boxes. Moreover, it was argued that the inertness of the respondents in taking action against schools which failed to implement the directions contained in the GO, is absolutely illegal..On the Court's instructions, the Director of the General Education Department filed a statement saying that the GO has been implemented and subsequently, instructions have been issued.Government Pleader KR Ranjith also submitted a number of circulars that were issued over the years for the implementation of the GO. .Therefore, the Court disposed of the PIL with directions to expeditiously implement the GO in all schools where complaint boxes had not yet been installed. .[Read Judgment]