Govt orders closure of school run by Peace Foundation

Thiruvananthapuram: The State government has ordered the closure of a private school at Kochi for having contents in its syllabus that goes against the country's secular policies.

The order for the school's closure said it was highly necessary to stop the operation of such institutions "to prevent the Muslims from joining IS (Islamic State) activities."

Enquiries revealed that the textbooks at the Peace Foundation International school, were aimed at the propagation of ideas contradicting the country's secular policies besides trying to spread propaganda which was against the country's policies, an order said.

"Hence in order to prevent the Muslims from joining IS activities, it is highly necessary to stop the operation of such institutions," the order said.

It also said the government has not issued no objection certificate (NOC) to the school and that it has no Central Board of Secondary Education Board (CBSE) affiliation.

The school at Thammanam in Ernakulam came under the scanner in October 2016 after the district educational officer filed a complaint against the school on the contents of the textbooks.

The Education Secretary to the Director of Public Instruction issued the order under the Right to Education Act to close the school and transfer students to neighbourhood schools.