Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to unify the high school, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary departments, under the recommendation of the Professor Khader Committee. The recommendations will be implemented in a piecemeal fashion.
From this academic year, a Directorate of General Education headed by an IAS officer will be formed by clubbing together general education, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary directorates. The government has gone ahead with the committee suggestion ignoring the opinions of theopposition-led-teachers’ association.
All general exams including SSLC, Plus One and Plus Two exams currently held by DPI, DHSC and DVHSC will be organised by commissioner of exams, directorate of general education.
LP, UP, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary departments will remain as they are, but work under the new directorate. RDD, AD, DDE, DEO and AEO will continue to function at zonal, district and sub-district levels.
A principal will head the school, and the current headmaster will become the vice-principal. The principal will be responsible for the working of the school, including the higher secondary level. The office at high schools will function for higher secondary schools as well. The current system for salaries will continue until a new method is introduced. Schools without higher secondary level will continue to function as they currently do.
The education secretary will create a special rule for governance of the new system. Teachers’ organisations have requested the government to hold reforms until the committee submits its full report.
Opposition walks out in protest
The Opposition staged a walkout from Assembly claiming the proposed implementation of the Khader Committee report will affect quality of education in state. Protesting in the House, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said legal options will be chosen to stop the move.
Education Minister C Raveendranath said the report aimed to reform the system. Only six recommendations from part three and four will be implemented. Even these were amended in consultations with teachers, managers and students.
However, KNA Khader, seeking a motion in Assembly, said the measures will wreck education system and create disciplinary issues. The higher secondary department promptly handles nine lakh students now. Additional burden will create chaos. The vice-principal’s post will only be a useless appendage. He took a dig at the government saying such things happen when people seek advice from those with lower credentials.
Implementing some portions of an incomplete report is a novelty, Chennithala criticised, asking the education minister to refrain from dancing to the beats of KSTA, teacher’s association of the Left. Leaders like MK Muneer, PJ Joseph and Anoop Jacob asked government to back down from the move.
