Major revamp in education administration posts: Minister Sivankutty

Malappuram: Addressing the media on Tuesday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty announced a significant restructuring of administrative posts in the state’s education department, aiming to improve governance and address long-standing inefficiencies.

The state plans to appoint individuals with administrative training to key roles such as Deputy Director of Education (DDE), District Education Officer (DEO), and Regional Deputy Director (RDD). These positions have traditionally been filled by promoted schoolteachers, a practice the minister said often results in poor administration due to a lack of management skills.

“In most districts, teachers promoted to posts like DDE, DEO and RDD cannot handle such roles. We are now exploring a new system and welcome public feedback,” Sivankutty said. A six-month training programme in administrative management is being proposed for those promoted to these posts.

In the long term, the state may consider direct recruitment from the Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) to ensure better efficiency and professional handling of responsibilities.

The minister also criticised the department’s bureaucratic culture, citing the suicide of a man whose wife, a schoolteacher, had not received her salary for 14 years. The delay continued despite court orders and ministerial directives, reportedly due to the apathy of education officials.

Sivankutty warned that disciplinary action will follow if negligence is confirmed. “Section 11(8) of the Kerala Civil Service Act allows for strict penalties, including dismissal from service,” he said. A probe team headed by General Education Secretary Dr K Vasuki is investigating the incident.

Addressing infrastructure issues, Sivankutty said over 200 school buildings have been identified as unsafe. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to decide on the next steps. “To expedite the demolition of these dangerous buildings, we intend to delegate more powers to district collectors, similar to their role under the Disaster Management Department,” Sivankutty said.

The minister also announced a four-day training workshop for teachers, aimed at helping them address social issues such as drug use and mobile addiction among students.

Responding to criticism from religious and social groups like Samastha, Sivankutty said there was no need for consultation on every issue. He reiterated that the decision on school timings was final and would not be revisited.