Wednesday, August 30, 2017

‘Schools force students to attend MGR function, blame govt’

TNN | Updated: Aug 30, 2017, 00:09 IST


Chennai: Hundreds of students will be missing out on classes today, to instead languish at the VGP grounds at Kanchipuram through the day. Several schoolsthat come under Kanchipuram district, have been allegedly forced to bring their students to the venue to partake in the state-sponsored MGR centenary functions. In a move viewed as a show of strength by the state, the government order has mandated that schools make attending the function compulsory for all students of classes X, XI & XII on Wednesday. Schools will be taking students to the venue, where they will attend the function where AIADMK party cadres and followers of the late MGR will also be present.



Parents of students received a text message in this regard on Tuesday, from the respective schools asking to send their ward for the programme. "Tomorrow (30.08.17, Wednesday) MGR centenary function will be held in VGP Ground. As per a government order, students from X, XI & XII must participate in the function. Students' reporting time is 7.30 am at school. No need to bring bag & lunch. After the function is over we will send the students home," read the message received by a parent whose son studies at a private school in Urapakkam. "Many party cadres who attend the meeting may come in a drunken state to the function, so safety is a big concern for us. We have not even been intimated of what time to go pick up our wards as the meeting could go on till late hours. Though we raised the issue with schools, female students haven't been exempted from attending the it," said a parent.



However, some schools in the district said they had received no such instruction to partake in the function. "Until 5 pm on Tuesday we did not receive any instruction to attend any programme. We have tests going on currently, so we can't afford to cancel lessons and take students to the venue even if we are asked to do it," said a teacher of a franchise school. While parents and schools have little choice in the matter but to send students to celebrate a functio, department officials could not be reached for a response in this regard.

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