Thiruvananthapuram: The higher secondary first-year (Plus One/ Class 11) admissions in Kerala will take place in June after the results of the SSLC and CBSE Class 10 exams are published and it is planned to start the classes early in July, said General Education Minister V Sivankutty.
“Recommendations of a report submitted by a committee appointed to study issues related to batch reorganization will be studied by the government before the Plus-One admissions start,” he added.
Necessary changes would be made in the prospectus and software in this regard, said the minister while speaking at a meeting to discuss the school reopening for the next academic year on June 1. The meeting was convened as S Shanavas has taken charge as the new Director of General Education (DGE).
The meeting decided to direct schools to complete all work related to school reopening by May 25. Subsequently, officials in the posts of Deputy Director, Regional Deputy Director and Assistant Director have to inspect this work and report to the DGE.
Other decisions taken at the meeting
• School offices have to function till 5 pm on regular working days and on Saturdays the principal or teacher in-charge and office staff should be present. Authorities have to ensure that the landline in the school is always working.
• Sanitize wells and water tanks before May 30 and check the water quality, for which facilities at Kerala Water Authority’s (KWA) labs could be utilized.
• The programmes of the ‘Green campus, Clean campus’ campaign will be launched on June 5.
• Complete maintenance works at the earliest. Ensure that passages through which snakes and other reptiles could creep into the school premises are sealed.
• Carry out repairs of school buses with the help of PTA and local bodies.
• The amount spent on midday meals and the honorarium for cooking staff in March will be paid as soon as funds are allotted. Breakfast too will be served in schools with the support of Local Self-Government Department.
• Meetings of PTA presidents will be conducted from May 10 to 20 in which ministers and legislators will attend. Teachers should visit the houses of students and speak to parents. AEO, DEO and DDs should join in this effort.
Parallel classes
The minister also said that strict action will be taken against teachers who conduct classes in parallel educational institutions. If necessary, teachers will be made to sign an affidavit which says that they will not take such classes.
Another decision at the meeting was to ban functions not related to the Education Department in schools. Similarly, school students should not be compelled to attend functions conducted by other departments and organisations.
Sivankutty also said at the meeting that problems such as corruption and delay still exist at the Education Department. He cited non-recognition of appointment of differently abled staff and audit objections to pensions as examples in this regard.