Kerala HC declines to stay order allowing co-education mode in school

Kochi: High court on Tuesday declined to stay a single bench order granting permission to the management of Muslim Girls' Higher Secondary School, Erattupetta, to convert the institution into a co-educational school.A division bench comprising Justices A Badharudeen and S Muralee Krishna issued the order while considering an appeal filed by K A Muhammed Ashraf challenging the single bench decision. Meanwhile, HC observed that any decision taken pursuant to the single bench's order would be subject to the outcome of the appeal and adjourned the matter to May 21.Earlier, the school management had approached HC seeking a direction to the Erattupetta municipality to permit the introduction of co-education from the next academic year, commencing on June 1, as a 2022 govt circular mandates prior approval from the local body for converting single-gender aided schools into co-educational institutions. Allowing the plea, the single bench had directed the municipal secretary of the Erattupetta municipality to approve the request submitted by the school within three days. The court had further observed that if the secretary failed to approve within the stipulated period, the school management would be free to proceed with the introduction of co-education without such permission.While passing the order, the single bench had also questioned the necessity of the clause requiring local body approval and the role of local self-govt institutions in decisions relating to the introduction of co-education in schools. The said order has now been challenged before the division bench.