Kannur: State Education Minister V Sivankutty has mooted comprehensive changes in the public education system of the State, including promotion of teachers based on academic progress and other merits, grading for schools and cutting down the number of associations.
The suggestions were presented before the Teachers’ associations as he was inaugurating the State level Teachers’ day celebrations yesterday. Stating that he was sure of not getting applauded for these suggestions, Sivankutty said, the teachers should also raise the students’ demands hereafter in the association meetings.
“Should seniority be the only criterion for teachers’ promotions hereafter? Academic skills and expertise must also be considered. There should be a grading system for schools too. As of now, there are as many as 45 teachers’ associations. An auditorium itself is needed to organise a meeting for the associations’ representatives. The state of Malayalam teachers teaching English to the students must change. Excellent training must be ensured for the students. One principal and vice principal are enough in one school. At present, there are even three headmasters. An increase in the number of power positions will affect the overall coordination. Teacher student ratio is mooted to be 1:40. However, that cannot be expected in the very next year. The Department has appointed a sub-committee to look into the issues that have been left out from those raised by the teachers’ associations,” the Minister said.
The Minister gave away the School PTA awards and Vidhyarangam Kala Sahithya Vedi awards during the event. C H Mohammed Koya Memorial award for the Best PTA was bagged by Kottayam Akkarappadam Government UP School and Kollam Thazhava Adhithya Vilasam Government High School.
Other schools which bagged the State honours were: Kollam Panmanayil GLP School, Pathanamthitta Poozhikkad Government UP School, Moovaattupuzha Payipra GUP School, Kannur Varam Kadamkode Mappila L P School, Wayanad Beenachi Government High School, Cherthala Charamangalam Government DVHSS, Palakkad Edathunattukara Government Oriental HSS, and Kannur Irikkur Government HSS.
