Govt lifts ban on two institutions that protested 'injustice' at Kerala School Olympics

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The state government has withdrawn its ban on two schools that protested against alleged injustice regarding the distribution of 'Best School' prizes at the Kerala Schools Sports Meet held in Ernakulam in November last year. The development is a massive relief for the schools concerned, Mar Basil HSS Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district and Navamukunda HSS, Thirunavaya in the Malappuram district.
On Thursday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty confirmed the withdrawal of the January 2-dated order issued by the Director of General Education. “The Chief Minister intervened in this matter and requested that actions which could negatively affect students, including those participating in national competitions, be avoided,” Sivankutty said in a statement.
The schools protested during the valedictory function following a disparity in final standings. They claimed that the organisers had deceived them by including Sports Hostels in the 'Best School' category. As a result, Navamukunda, which finished second among schools, slipped to the third spot, with G V Raja Spots School taking the second position. Mar Basil, which had been placed third in the initial standings, missed out on the podium (initial story here).

“The authorities of Navamukunda and Mar Basil submitted a letter expressing regret over the unpleasant incidents that occurred during the concluding ceremony of the State School Sports Meet, which was held in an Olympic Model in Ernakulam from November 8 to 11, 2024. The letter also mentions that they will ensure such incidents do not occur in the future,” Sivankutty said.
The minister added that appeals made by various politicians, including Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan, and educational organisations such as KSTA and PGTA also aided in the change of mind. “Based on this, the order ... imposing a ban on participation in the school sports meet scheduled for 2025, will be revoked within a week,” Sivankutty said.
However, the government has not relaxed its position on “the teachers who led the illegal protests". Minister Sivankutty said the teachers concerned had not provided a written explanation of their version. He said the Principal Secretary will probe the alleged involvement of teachers in the protests.