Minister defends 204 working days for High Schools; says CBSE, ICSE students attend more classes

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid protests over the new academic calendar that extends the working hours of public schools in Kerala, Education Minister V Sivankutty defended the change, stating it was introduced to meet national and state education standards. He explained that high school students (Classes 8 to 10) will spend an additional 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 minutes in the afternoon on each working day, except Fridays, to help schools achieve the required 1,100 instructional hours per year.

Addressing the media on Sunday, he added that the changes in the academic calendar would apply across 204 working days, including six Saturdays for high schools.

He pointed out that even CBSE and ICSE schools in Kerala follow longer academic schedules than state schools. The minister also noted that other states—such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh—already have more working days than Kerala.

Criticising the protests, Sivankutty said a conspiracy to undermine Kerala’s General Education Department is suspected.

“When we look at all the numbers, it raises a genuine doubt whether there is a conspiracy from some quarters to destroy Kerala's General Education Department, which is seen as a national model and ranks second in the country,” Sivankutty said.

He alleged that teacher organisations affiliated with the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League approached the High Court against the decision to make Saturdays working days in schools.

“During the Congress-led UDF government, when class hours were extended from 9 am to 4.30 pm based on the Labba Committee recommendations, no one raised any complaints. There were no disputes or protests then. So, we must question the true intention behind the protests happening now,” the minister said.

He added that the government is ready to hold discussions with any organisation.

“If anyone wants to change the education laws, it must be done through an amendment in the Legislative Assembly. How can something that doesn’t happen in any other state be allowed here to affect our children? If there are any doubts, let us sit down and look into them together,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister said the Kerala government decided to revise the school academic calendar in adherence to a Kerala High Court order. He noted that in August 2024, the court ruled that a previously issued academic calendar— which included 25 working Saturdays—was not legally valid as it lacked proper government approval.

The court instructed the state to revisit the calendar, consult stakeholders, and align it with existing laws. In response, the government formed an expert committee, which recommended limiting the number of working Saturdays to one per month, where necessary.

For the upcoming academic year 2026–27, seven Saturdays will be required for high schools to meet the target instructional hours. The current calendar ensures quality education while remaining legally compliant, Sivankutty said.

He also noted that the new calendar includes anti-drug campaigns, arts and sports festivals, activities for differently-abled students, and scholarships—aiming to build a strong and inclusive public education system.

The new academic year will have 198 working days for Classes 1–4, 200 for Classes 5–7, and 204 for Classes 8–10.