Two get special class, teacher

The two HIV-infected children, who recently hit the headlines when students and parents protested against their attending school, had a special classroom as well as a special teacher all to themselves today. A special classroom was set up outside the Kottiyoor SNLP School compound for the two children, Akshara and Ananthu. A teacher has been posted to teach them as agreed to by the state government.

Two other children, Athul K. Mohan and Ajal Satheesh, joined Akshara and Ananthu in the special classroom. Mohan and Satheesh8217;s parents are working in close association with the Kottiyoor Science Vision, a voluntary service organisation based in Kottiyoor.

Akshara and Ananthu were taken to the school by their mother along with panchayat president K.J. Joseph, Iritty AEO K. Balan, PTA president Sebastian and school manager P.C. Ramakrishnan.

Parents of the other students had resisted the move to admit the two children to the school despite a directive from Chief Minister A.K. Antony. The headmistress of the school was placed under suspension later when she failed to admit the children.