Kerala High Court ells state to ensure 220 school days

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Friday asked the state government to ensure that there are 220 school days from the next academic year as prescribed under the Kerala Education  Rules and Right of the Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.

Justice Vinod Chandran passed the verdict while disposing of a writ petition filed by Kochi native P.T.Suresh who sought  the requisite 220 school days,  including  examination days, for school children.

The petitioner produced an education calendar of 2015-16 which showed only 200 working days which included 34 examination days. It had only 166 instruction days.

According to him,  children are not getting proper education because the schools were not functioning as per the number of days specified in the Act and Rules. The education calendar issued by the General Education Department did not contain the required working days as provided by the Act.

While the rules provided for 220 instruction days excluding the days of examination,  the RTE provisions stipulated 220 days for class five to eight.  

The government contended that the minimum number of instructional days could not be achieved by some schools due to unpredictable reasons like sudden holidays,  hartals etc. It said that it was taking steps to ensure that working days in the Rules and Act were followed.