Thiruvananthapuram: A few decades ago, the students of coastal villages in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam had to crack entrance examinations to get into the prestigious Government Regional Fisheries Technical and Vocational Higher Secondary School, Valiyathura. Today, 50 years after it was established, the teachers of fisheries schools have to poach students to meet the minimum intake requirement. Many of those who pass out barely know how to read or write properly, say teachers.
“A permanent relief camp that houses people affected by sea erosion operates at Valiyathura fisheries school. Parents from places like Poovar and Vizhinjam express unwillingness to send their children to residential schools. People bathe openly and cut fish and no one wants students to study here,” says a teacher.
This coincidentally has happened when bright students in coastal hamlets from Pozhiyoor to Anchuthengu face a housing crisis due to social issues and sea erosion. Many study at government schools far away from houses, say social workers. The situation is similar in around 27 fisheries higher secondary schools.
NSQF hits them hard
Experts who held a meeting to discuss ways to revive fisheries schools pointed out that the centre’s National Skill Qualification FrameWork (NSFQ) would further weaken fisheries schools. The NSQF that was proposed in 2013 to streamline vocational courses, defines 12 job roles in nine sections that have to be taught through vocation courses from this academic year. This includes spheres like agriculture, telecom and even beauty and wellness. However, fisheries-based courses get neglected in the syllabus.
“Opportunities for children are plenty in the field of Navigation and seamanship, aquaculture, hatcheries, scuba diving and even swimming courses,” said Robert Panipilla, the Chief Coordinator of NGO Friends of Marine Life (FML). Experts proposed weightage for students in university courses like Fisheries Science, Oceanography and Aquatic Biology. Mathematics should be made compulsory for students to grab the opportunity in Maritime courses. Also, dedicated, skilful teachers should be hired in fisheries schools, they said.
