Follow co-curricular SOP without deviation, edu dept tells schools

CHENNAI: The School Education Department has urged all schools to implement the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) while conducting co-curricular activities within its premises, in the backdrop of the Assembly elections next year.

The SOP was released last year after a 'spiritual' event at a Chennai school created outrage among the public.

With the upcoming elections, the department is keen on taking proactive steps to not involve children in any political events or invite guests unrelated to learning activities, both academic and non-curricular.

Hence, the department has noted that even the involvement of non-profits within the schools needs to be thoroughly assessed. Additionally, the department has also listed a district-level committee. The members of the committee include: district police, officials of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the district social welfare officer, officer for differently-abled persons, child welfare officer, deputy director of health services and relevant education officers.

Following the incident of a self-proclaimed spiritual man, Maha Vishnu's speech on pseudoscience in Chennai government schools in September 2024, the school education department released the SOP for guests in schools.

The video that went viral on social media showed the speaker entering into a verbal argument with a blind government teacher, which caused the members of the differently-abled welfare association to react.