Kerala mulls slashing school holidays

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is to reduce the number of holidays in schools to ensure 220 working days stipulated by the Right to Education Act. The curriculum committee of the general education department has constituted a subcommittee to study the proposal. N. Sreekumar, a committee member, said the subcommittee had already met for preliminary discussions.  The number of holidays has increased sharply over the years to satisfy community organisations. 

The plan is to make them working days and organise programmes to highlight contributions of those legends. The 2009 Act states that schools must provide 200 working days for Class I to V and 220 for Class VI to VIII.  The Kerala education rules also recommend 220 days, excluding exams. However, many are not able to achieve the minimum number of instructional days due to sudden holidays and strikes. The High Court on March 4, 2016, had directed the state to ensure 220 academic days, excluding exams and co-curricular activities.

The petitioner, P. T. Suresh, had argued that his two children were not getting a proper education because of this. The 2015-16 educational calendars he produced showed only 200 working days including 34 exam days. The general education department had to convert six Saturdays—August 8, September 6 and 23, October 21 and January 6,  and  27, as working days.

Though in the past there were steps to increase working days,   it did not materialise.  The proposals then included shrinking Onam and Christmas holidays.  Another proposal was holding extracurricular activities such as youth festivals, science exhibitions and sports during holidays or summer vacations.