A government-aided girls’ higher secondary school in VK Puram, near Ambasamudram, has faced criticism following allegations of screening Tamil films for students and charging them for the viewing. The school, which serves around 1,700 students from grades 1 to 12, reportedly showed Vijay’s film ‘GOAT‘ to senior students on a TV on 9 November 2024, afternoon, while a Rajinikanth film, ‘Vettaiyan‘, was screened for younger students in grades 1 to 5.
Around 600 school students attended the screenings, with reports claiming that ₹25 was collected from each student for ‘GOAT’ and ₹10 for ‘Vettaiyan’. The charges and the nature of the event sparked controversy, with some alleging that students were coerced into paying for the film viewings. The issue gained further traction when members of the Hindu Munnani expressed concerns over whether the school had obtained the necessary permissions to show these recent films. They also criticized the school for potentially misusing school hours for financial gain and voiced their objections on social media.
In response to the growing concerns, the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) of the district, Sivakumar, has ordered an investigation and instructed education officials to visit the school. The CEO noted that the school principal defended the screenings, claiming they were intended to help students relax and reduce stress. However, the CEO has also directed that the money collected from students be refunded.
(With Inputs From TNIE)
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