A petition was filed on Thursday before the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the Ernakulam District Collector to file a report explaining the delay in declaring a holiday for educational institutions in the district on August 4 due to heavy downpour.
The petition also sought a directive to the State government to frame proper guidelines on declaration of holidays for schools.
According to the petitioner, as most of the schools in Ernakulam district start functioning before 8 a.m., students had to leave their homes very early in the day. The District Collector had announced a holiday for educational institutions in the district on August 4 through her official Facebook page at 8.45 a.m. After one hour, the Collector uploaded another post clarifying that the schools which already started functioning need not be closed and the students who already reached schools need not be sent back.
The petitioner said that the decision was illogical. As a result of the decision, most of the children and parents had panicked as either some children already left for school or were on their way to school. Petitioner M.R. Dhanil submitted that there need be guidelines on declaring holidays for schools before a specific time so that confusion among the public over holiday can be avoided.
He also sought a directive to the State government to formulate proper guidelines to ensure clarity on decisions announced on social media.
