Kondotty: The General Education Department has advised teachers not to accept expensive gifts from students. It was common in many schools for students to give expensive gifts to teachers at the end of the academic year in the name of farewell.

The Malappuram Deputy Director of Education had earlier instructed the district and sub-district education officers that this practice should not be allowed. The direction was based on the news published by the Mathrubhumi daily. And as a continuation, the Director of Education (DGE)'s direction was issued. 

The DGE sent a note to all deputy directors instructing them to ban such practices in all schools of the State. It was based on a complaint received by the Minister for Education. The instruction states that students should abstain from gifting practices and circulating the videos of the same through social media.

placeholder
Mathrubhumi report

There are many cases where teachers accept expensive clothes, watches, framed photos, photo cakes, photo mugs, glasses etc as gifts from students. The footage of children presenting the gifts is often captured on phones and disseminated through social media. This has become a trend in the past two years.

On March 31, Mathrubhumi had given a report on this practice that fosters competition and inferiority feelings among students.