Sivankutty to hold talks with Kerala CM on revised school

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Samsatha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama voiced its opposition to the government’s move to increase high school class timings by half an hour, General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday said he will hold discussions with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the matter.

Maintaining that the government was not stubborn on the issue, Sivankutty said the decision had been taken for the benefit of students.

The class hours, he said, were extended by 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon sessions to ensure 220 instructional days as directed by the court. “What is the big deal if students get 30 minutes of additional classes,” asked Sivankutty. He said extra-curricular activities also warrant increasing the working hours in schools. The Right to Education Act and state education rules have stipulated minimum instructional days that need to be strictly followed,” he said.