Safety audits held in schools before start of academic year: General Education Minister V. Sivankutty

It is unfortunate that attempts are on to politicise the death of Midhun, a 13-year-old student of Thevalakkara Boys High School in Kollam district, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.

Blocking people’s representatives who went to visit the school and waving black flags at Ministers and others who went to Midhun’s house was condemnable, a statement quoting the Minister said on Saturday.

Midhun was electrocuted while trying to retrieve a footwear that had fallen on the roof a bicycle shed on the school premises a couple of days ago.

The government had opened schools after a lot of preparations. Cleanliness and maintenance work had been taken up in 14,000-odd schools. A circular on school reopening arrangements had been issued on May 13. School safety audits were also held. The General Education department conducted safety audits in schools before the start of each academic year. Those who havd no idea of this were raising the demand for conducting safety audits.

The Director of General Education had on Friday convened an online meeting of all education officers and asked for safety checks to be conducted again in schools. The department has taken all precautions to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the Minister said in the statement.