KOCHI – The Kerala High Court has urged the state government to consider incorporating representatives from various government departments in school protection groups (SPGs), with the aim of bolstering their efficacy in addressing drug use among students. This suggestion was made by a bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran while reviewing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Sumi Joseph, a mother of two school-going children from Ernakulam.
The judicial bench’s call for inclusion comes in response to the growing concern over substance abuse among young students in Kerala. The petition, filed by Ms. Joseph along with other petitions, emphasized the need for proactive action by the state to address this issue.
As per the 2011 circular issued by the Kerala State Police Chief, school protection groups (SPGs) consist of a chairperson, who is usually the head of the institution, the police station house officer, local elected representatives, and a parent representative (PTA president or other parents’ association representative). The high court has now recommended expanding these groups to include additional government department representatives.
This move is expected to bolster the SPGs’ functioning in preventing drug abuse among students by leveraging diverse expertise and resources from various departments. It remains to be seen whether the state government will accept this recommendation and take concrete steps towards implementing it.
