Cash-strapped, student police cadets in aided schools may lose khakis

KOCHI: Students  dressed in well-ironed khakis regulating traffic and engaging in volunteer works are a welcome sight for the average Keralite. However, the khaki dreams of students from 115 aided schools in the state may witness a premature end, with no news on the funds promised by the state government for the Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme, launched with an aim to train children who exhibit signs of social commitment.

“Around 10,200 students will lose their chance to become SPCs if the funds aren’t allotted soon,” said Anoob John, teacher and community police officer. “The SPC programme has been operational in aided schools since 2014. But we need funds to keep it afloat,” he said. The funds for SPCs in government schools, whether they had started the programme before or after 2014, is being allotted on time, Anoob said. “In the meantime, students in aided schools are finding it difficult to even buy uniforms. The situation is such that if funds don’t come in soon, we will have to abruptly stop the training,” he added.

Anoob said when the programme was introduced in aided schools, the managements were asked to deposit an amount of Rs 5 lakh for the first two years. The government had promised to allot funds in the coming years. However, even after seven years, the promised funds haven’t arrived. 

“Currently, schools are keeping the programme alive using funds pitched in by the management, parents-teachers association, teachers in-charge of the SPC programme and their colleagues. Sometimes, well-wishers from the outside also pitch in,” said Anoob, who is also the coordinator of the action committee formed to present the issue before the government.

“The school needs `2 lakh to run the programme for a year. Even the students contribute `2,000 to `3,000 to keep the programme afloat. However, as most people are undergoing a financial crisis in the wake of the pandemic, it is not ethical to collect money from students, many of whom come from financially backward families,” he said.