Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty has said that the government has not taken any decision on changing the school timings in the state and that only an idea was proposed.
"Believers need not have any apprehensions over this," the Minister said in the state Assembly on Monday in reply to the submission moved by N Shamsuddin, MLA.
Earlier, Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyethul-Ulema had opposed the state government's plans to change the timings of educational institutions as the devout fear that it would come in the way of religious education.
"A suggestion has been made to change the school timing from 8am till 1pm. But it has not been decided," he explained. The Khader Committee had recommended the Government to adopt this schedule.
The Minister further said that no recommendation has been proposed over mixed seating and mixed hostels.
As reported earlier the Muslim League and Islamic outfits vehemently came out against the reported move to change school timings and introduce mixed seating in classrooms. "Jumping into reform without thinking can be harmful. Organisations like Samastha, which runs thousands of religious educational institutions, have a clear opinion on this. Trying to implement the government's interest without negotiation will only backfire," Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty had made his party's stand clear on the touchy issue.
“All states are developing curriculum frameworks. No child should be discriminated against on the basis of education or gender. Also there is no need for any concerns that the protection and consideration extended to women would be lost due to gender neutral concepts. Secularism does not mean denial of religion. The government has no intention of hindering religious studies," the Minister further clarified.