By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Thiruvananthapuram: The state government decided to allow more seats in the higher secondary for Malabar. Higher secondary courses would be allowed in 120 panchayats in the seven districts from Thrissur to Kasargode. The government reportedly plans to begin the courses in this academic year itself. The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.
The new higher secondary courses would be allowed in the high schools in panchayats where there are no enough facilities for higher secondary education. The courses will be begun in the government aided sector, and not the unaided sector.
There was a shortage of about 38000 seats for plus one in the seven districts from Thrissur to Kasargode when compared to the success in SSLC. There have been strong protests by different organizations in the area against the continuing ignorance of the successive governments towards the education problems of Malabar. The meeting of the Left Democratic Front held on Tuesday had recommended the government to allow new higher secondary courses and schools in Malabar.
More consideration is given to those panchayats without any higher secondary schools. However, those panchayats having higher secondary but facing a shortage of seats also will be considered. The existing high schools will be raised to the higher secondary level. Applications should be submitted by the Parent Teacher Associations for government schools and by the managements for aided schools. Courses will be allowed to the necessary schools after studying the applications.
Around 2.35 lakh students have passed the 10th standard in Malabar but nearly half a lakh of students will not be able to study in the higher secondary, polytechnic, vocational higher secondary institutions etc in Malabar. The government increases the number of seats every year but the increase is not in conformity with the increase in the number of students passing exams. Student organizations like the MSF, SIO and Campus Front have organized strong protests against the ignorance towards Malabar’s educational needs. The SIO last day released the Educational Rights Document at Malappuram. T Arifali, Kerala Amir of the Jamat e Islami, said while inaugurating the Malabar Educational Rights Conference in Malappuram that a special educational package should be introduced for the educational development of Malabar. The Campus Front on Tuesday inaugurated parallel classes in front of the Malappuram district Collectorate as part of their protest against the government’s inaction in the educational problems of Malabar. The Campus Front welcomed the new decision of the government and put an end to its ‘parallel class’ protest.