THIS IS THE REAL STORY BEHIND KERALA’S EXCELLENCE IN GENERAL EDUCATION

How much progress has Kerala made compared to other Indian states in terms of infrastructure development, girls’ education, and projects for academic excellence? Kerala’s public education system is a very strong and robust network. Almost all children, irrespective of their gender, get admission to school. Among them, almost all make it to the twelfth standard. If we check the national statistics, there is a visible gender gap in terms of access to school education. This gender gap is absent when it comes to Kerala. In fact, girls here often display more academic brilliance than boys. We have been able to ensure schools till class 12 level in almost all villages. From the first elected government in the state led by EMS to all the subsequent left governments that came to power have played a crucial role in realising this. The involvement of parents, especially mothers, in schools had a significant influence on girls’ education. We have come a long way in providing adequate sanitation facilities for older girls, eradicating discrimination for access to schools and minimizing the gender divide in learning spaces. There is still a long way to go and we are making conscious efforts in this regard.

Have the educational goals for tribals, backward communities, and differently-abled individuals been achieved? What steps has the government taken to ensure progress for these marginalised groups?

The government has taken several steps to ensure educational progress for marginalised groups such as tribals,backward communities, and differently-abled individuals. These include

1. Establishing six hostels for tribal boys, providing accommodation for 50 students in each hostel, located in different districts.

2. Conducting surveys to identify children who couldn’t enroll in schools or had to drop out, and offering them bridge courses to catch up and join appropriate grade levels.

3. Arranging special transportation, known as GothraSarathi, for students from remote areas with limited public transport access, especially for those from tribal regions.

4. Implementing Ooru Vidya Kendras under the SSK (Samagra Shiksha Kerala) program to ensure students’ attendance in schools and provide learning support.

5. Introducing the ‘Enke Enka Koottam’ program to promote school education among the Cholanaikar community, an ancient tribal community in Nilambur forests. As a result, 12 children from the Pulimunda colony were successfully admitted to school.

6. Implementing the Padippurassi scheme in Idamalakkudi Panchayat, the only tribal Grama Panchayat in Kerala, which has enabled children to learn how to read and write.

7. Developing mathematics modules as part of the Padippurassi curriculum.

8. Establishing the Kudi Thuna Koottam group at GTLPS, Chembakathozhu, under the supervision of the local society and tribal leader (Ooru Mooppan) to ensure education for tribals, with the school’s Headmaster serving as the convener.

9. Initiating plans to expand the Padippurassi scheme to districts such as Kasargod, Palakkad, Wayanad, and Malappuram.

These efforts reflect the government’s commitment to promoting educational opportunities and inclusivity for marginalised groups in Kerala Eco-friendly schools are of great importance these days. Whether the government has made any positive interventions in this field? Education in eco-friendly schools is a proclaimed policy of this government. One of the major focus areas of the education department is to set up eco-friendly school campuses with the aim of learning as much from nature as this government believes that the campus itself is a textbook. Biodiversity gardens, kitchen gardens, bio-fence, vegetable gardens and cultivation of various crops depending on the availability of space are being implemented in the schools. Efforts are currently on to transform school campuses so that all kinds of environmental lessons, such as nature conservation, preservation of biological diversity, and understanding agriculture tradition, are available to the students. In addition, the department has also implemented initiatives like e-file, green office and smart office at the administrative level keeping in mind a comprehensive ecofriendly approach. Green School Clean School is one of our major slogans this academic year.

There is a National Education Policy in place. How far have things come in Kerala?

The land reforms act and education act brought about by the EMS government of 1957 played a decisive role in ensuring that school education is available to all. We are moving forward by providing mid-day meals, free transportation, ensuring clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, setting up better infrastructure, building schools in neighbourhoods, and recruiting trained teachers (at the national level, under the Right to Education Act, the school is the unit for recruitment of teacher whereas it the school complex under new policy document. In Kerala, the class is the unit for recruitment of teachers) and ensuring the participation of the parents and the society in the activities aimed at the betterment of schools. At the national level, the focus of the education policy is on children’s access to schools and ensuring the continuation of their education. As a state that has already addressed these issues, our focus is on initiatives to ensure equality and quality in the education sector. We could achieve these results despite constraints with the help of the powers granted by the federal system guaranteed by our constitution. Kerala has already addressed the issues like enrolling children, who are old enough to attend school, guaranteeing continuity of education, and providing equitable and highquality education to all children. It is our firm belief that democracy and secularism must be the foundation of education, and that education must uphold constitutional values. We have already achieved great progress. The proof of this may be found in the fact that 10.5 lakh more children attended public schools between 2017- 18 and 2021-22. It implies that the people stand by the efforts of the state government. It goes without saying that we have made great progress in infrastructure development and modernisation of schools. Even the schools in rural areas have undergone an evident transformation. The idea of school itself has also undergone a complete transformation. The focus is on lifting the academic standards of the students. Despite all this, we have to focus on accelerating our efforts to improve school education from its current state of excellence. It is necessary to identify and overcome constraints. It is also necessary to envisage initiatives to inculcate social values such as civic sense, cleanliness, gender awareness etc., in students.

What progress has been made in rebuilding the flood-damaged schools?

As per official statistics, as many as 520 schools suffered damages in the flood. The Education department was able to make those schools operational again with the help of funds provided by the local self-government department, elected representatives and various corporate companies.

What new additions were made to the curriculum to enable students to handle modern technology?

The aim, while adding Information Technology education to the curriculum was to create a quality learning environment in which the student not only learned about modern technology but also apply it in learning activities. It was in 1997 that IT became a separate subject at the higher secondary level. Later, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) became a subject in the secondary and primary levels. Initially, the focus was on helping the student acquire essential ICT skills that they needed to acquire at each level. The syllabus, textbooks and learning activities were planned accordingly. Later, recommendations were made in the Kerala Curriculum Framework 2007 on the importance of ICT learning, realising its potential to create a better learning environment. Computer labs were set up in schools with internet connectivity. Current ICT textbooks are structured with contents based on the proposition of enabling students to handle technology as well as utilising ICT tools and techniques to support the learning of various subjects. Post-2016, things became more dynamic after the government converted 45,000 classrooms into hi-tech classrooms, provided a proportionate number of equipment in computer labs, and launched ‘Samagra’ portal to include ICT resources in all subjects as part of the state’s public education campaign. Along with this, learning activities related to the fields of evolution, development and possibilities of the computer, computer hardware & software, data collection – analysis – presentation, imaging – editing, sound and movies, animation, internet & web page, programming, educational softwares, edutainment softwares etc., were also included as part of IT studies. While at the primary level, edutainment and ICT – assisted learning were given emphasis, from the secondary level onwards ICT – based softwares were introduced in the syllabus. Lessons on the fields such as coding, animation production and computational thinking were included keeping in mind the students who wished to pursue higher education in these fields. The goal was to create a community that could contribute to the IT industry in addition to teaching the students how to use technology. Currently, works are underway to prepare a new curriculum framework. The new framework will also take into account the latest trends such as the Internet of Things, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence – based technologies.

Vocation education has wide acceptance all over the world today. Can you elaborate on the initiatives implemented by your government in this field?

It is true that until recently, our people gave importance to formal academic education. However, the worldwide importance of vocational education and skill training has its effects felt in our country as well. The first Pinarayi Vijayan government decided to conduct vocational training as per the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSFQ), realising the importance of this situation. NSFQ-based job roles were implemented in all vocational higher secondary schools by 2020-21 in a phased manner. Workplace and technology are undergoing rapid changes. The curriculum and training modules of vocational courses need to be constantly updated in light of technological advances. Some ancient technologies may have to be abandoned. As a result, related courses will also have to be cancelled. Latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Blockchain and Robotics offer great potential in the field of employment. There will be deliberate interventions through subjects, textbooks and learning activities to inculcate career orientation and aptitude in the new generation in the early stages of schooling itself. At this stage, our policy is work-integrated learning rather than vocational training. The government envisages vocational education in such a way that as it reaches higher classes, students can choose the sectors and occupations based on their preferences as well as the employment opportunities within the state or anywhere else in the world. At present, we are equipped to provide vocational education at the higher secondary level to only 33,000 students. However, Skill Development Centres will be opened in 210 schools as part of the STARS programme very soon. A new phase of skill training will commence in each SDC where students aged between 15 and 21 will be provided with facilities to learn a modern vocation. As mentioned earlier, courses like the Internet of Things, Drone Technology, Electric Vehicles Servicing, Jewellery Designing etc., which have great employment potential will be launched in the SDCs. Vocational courses covering these fields will be made part of the curriculum. New courses will be started for jobs that are needed for society and especially industries. The attitude of our students and parents towards vocational higher secondary courses is changing, albeit gradually. Life Skill Education is also part of the vocational training to mould the student into a better person and team member with good communication skills and confidence. Kerala Academy of Skill Excellence (KASE) under the Department of Labour and Skills will function more efficiently as the agency responsible for skill training processes as well as creating unique skill training courses required by the state. Steps are in progress to ensure uniform quality for all kinds of skill training under the leadership of KASE. The Industrial Training Institutes in the state are also on the path to excellence. The goal is to transform all government ITIs into centres of excellence. Skill training has become a need of the hour. By 2025-26, the government aims to improve the scope of skill training in the state in such a way that the majority of students can acquire skills for a career of their choice at the higher secondary level. Kerala has created history through the Karmachari scheme, which is being implemented by the Labour and Skills Department in collaboration with the general education and higher education departments. The scheme, which enables students to earn while they learn, is a great start.

The public education campaign and Vidyakiranam were the flagship initiatives of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. How much progress has been made in these initiatives?

The government has achieved amazing strides in the last seven years in infrastructure development. The public education campaign and its corresponding Vidyakiranam scheme have played a significant role in the development of infrastructure. Around Rs 3800 crore was invested in the construction of buildings in the last seven years. All classrooms from class 8 to class 12 have become technology friendly. Computer lab facilities were set up in all primary and upper primary schools. Efforts are on to develop labs and library systems, modernise schools with changing times, and above all transform schools into places where secularism and democracy flourish and make it an inclusive system that can accommodate all children. This is a completely different situation from the national level.

How many children are expected to be part of the public education system this academic year, and can better education be provided to all children, particularly when a significant number are transitioning from private and unaided schools to government schools?

It is a fact that more and more children are entering the public education stream. We are expecting the same trend to sustain this year too. The Department of General Education will continue to move forward with its efforts to provide better education to all.