Thiruvananthapuram: The Centre has sanctioned ₹109 crore for Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK), marking the release of long-pending central funds for the state’s education sector. Of this, Kerala received ₹92.4 crore on Tuesday, while the remaining ₹17.6 crore is expected to be released within the week, according to the Union Education Ministry.

The release follows the Centre’s assurance to the Supreme Court that the withheld SSK funds would be released to Kerala. The amount had been delayed due to the state’s earlier refusal to sign the PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) scheme.

Last week, the state reached an agreement with the CPI — a key LDF ally — to inform the Centre that while Kerala would sign the PM SHRI memorandum, it would not implement the scheme for now.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Education Minister V Sivankutty said the release of funds marked the first instalment of the central allocation that had been pending for a long time. “This fund, provided under the Right to Education Act, is meant to support children’s enrolment and educational development. The non-recurring fund for infrastructure purposes, around ₹17 crore, will reach this week,” he said.

He added that the central government still owes Kerala ₹1,148 crore under various heads from 2023–24; ₹188.58 crore for 2023–24, ₹513.14 crore for 2024–25, and ₹486.1 crore for 2025–26. “We expect these arrears, including the pending SSK dues, to be cleared soon,” the minister said.

Sivankutty will meet Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi on November 10 to discuss the issue. “Though he is currently in Bihar for election duties, he has agreed to meet me in Delhi on the 10th. I will travel to Delhi on the 9th,” he said.

The Supreme Court had recently heard a case related to special education, during which both the Centre and the Court assured that Kerala’s SSK funds — particularly those for the education of differently abled children — would be disbursed without delay.

As per the Rehabilitation Council of India’s norms, one special educator is required for every 10 children in classes 1 to 5, and for every 15 students in higher classes. In Kerala, where many schools have fewer students, the government plans to group several schools into single units to implement the policy.

“This would require over 4,000 teachers across the state. The issue directly affects nearly 45 lakh students in Kerala’s public schools,” Sivankutty said, adding that the state has been managing even the Centre’s share of expenses due to the delay in fund release.

“The state will pursue this matter at all levels to ensure Kerala receives its rightful share,” he added.

Following the last Cabinet meeting, the government issued an order forming a subcommittee to review matters related to the PM SHRI scheme. Meanwhile, CPM state secretary M V Govindan admitted on Tuesday that there had been a “lapse” in not discussing the PM SHRI memorandum in the Cabinet or within the LDF before it was signed.