Thiruvanantrhapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has made a scathing attack on the self-financing educational institutions saying that some of them were being considered as better sources than abkari business for making profits. Mr Vijayan was inaugurating the general education protection mission at Government Higher Secondary School, Malayankeezhu, on Friday. The then chief minister A.K. Antony had given permission to start self-financing colleges with a good intention.
However, he too had criticised the colleges saying they were doing business now, Mr Vijayan said. The decision to sanction self-financing institutions without putting in place proper guidelines had resulted in the present situation, he added. Mr Vijayan said that the state education sector would become fully digitised by converting 40,000 classrooms into hi-tech classes. The training process to teachers would also be reformed in tune with the times, he said.
Public sector schools were maintaining high standards, he said and added that the government had initiated various measures to improve the infrastructure in government educational institutions. Plans have been introduced to ensure hi-tech classrooms in schools and steps were on to improve the teaching method from standard one to 12, he said. These schools catered to students of all strata and the uniqueness of ‘Kerala model of education’ has gained world attention, Mr Vijayan said. Education Minister C. Raveendranath was among those present on the occasion.
The general education department has formulated four action plans as part of the mission. They are upgrading 1,000 schools into international standards, converting all classrooms in high schools and higher secondary schools into hi-tech, upgrading LP and UP classes with the support of parent teachers association and alumni association and implementing special package for schools which completed 50 and 100 years and for encourage English language training.
