Kerala Education Minister warns officials over salary delay of school teacher

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 5 (IANS) In response to the tragic case involving the non-payment of salary to an aided school teacher for 14 years, Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty on Tuesday issued a strong warning to officials in the Education Department.

The Minister stated that if such incidents recur, the government will be forced to take strict disciplinary action, including dismissal of those responsible.

“The government will not tolerate negligence or delay in matters related to employee entitlements. This incident is unacceptable, and any repetition will invite the most serious consequences,” said Sivankutty while speaking to the media here on Tuesday.

The statement comes in the wake of public outrage following the suicide of V.T. Shijo. His wife, Lekha Raveendran, a teacher at St. Joseph’s High School, Narayanamuzhi in the Pathanamthitta district, had not received her rightful salary for over a decade, despite a favorable High Court order.

But according to George Joseph, the school’s manager, all relevant documents to process the salary and associated benefits for Lekha Raveendran had been submitted to the District Education Office.

Despite repeated follow-ups and even an order from the High Court of Kerala in favour of releasing the salary, the officials concerned allegedly failed to act.

“The negligence of the officials has not only violated a court order but also destroyed a family. Even the intervention of the Education Minister was ignored,” said Joseph.

Incidentally, three department officials were suspended on Monday following internal review and mounting public outrage.

However, Shijo’s family asserts that suspensions alone are not sufficient.

They allege that the officials deliberately suppressed documents and violated the Division Bench order of the High Court, and they are now preparing to take further legal action.

Shijo’s father, Thyagarajan, said, “The system failed my son. We will approach the court again to ensure those responsible are held fully accountable. This must not happen to another family.”

Lekha Raveendran had joined the school in 2012, but her appointment was delayed due to a legal dispute raised by a previously resigned teacher claiming the same post.

The dispute was ultimately resolved in Lekha's favour by the High Court, yet her salary and benefits remained unpaid.

The necessary documents and court order were submitted to the DEO in December 2024, but no action followed, triggering severe emotional and financial distress in the family.

--IANS

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