No move to shift Open School HQ

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no move to shift the headquarters of Open School under SCERT to Malapuram, Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb has said. The proposal to open a regional centre at Malappuram was forwarded by the LDF Government and not by the UDF. He  was addressing a press meet at the SCERT on Thursday amidst protests by the Educational Autonomous Bodies Employees Federation (EABEF) outside its gates. Six SFI activists, who waved black flags at the Minister, were arrested by the police camping in large numbers outside the office. Abdu Rabb said that the LDF Government had appointed many employees on daily wages in the Open School and SCERT.Later the government had entered into contracts with them and renewed them every year. However, during its last term the LDF Government had signed a three-year contract with the employees which does not have legal validation. The government has decided to terminate the contract.  ‘‘Besides that the government has not fired anyone. When the contract is nullified, the employees will have to naturally quit,” he  said.    There was no move to shift the head office of Open School to Malappuram but a regional centre might be opened there to ease the difficulties of students in the Malabar region, he said.