Church lost education focus, rues CM Pinarayi Vijayan

KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has came down heavily on money mongering self-financing institutions saying that they had stooped to the level of business enterprises. Speaking after inaugurating the 60th anniversary celebration of St Joseph’s College, Devagiri here on Tuesday, the chief minister said the Christian managements were an exception to this but now they too have joined the bandwagon, barring a few. “These institutions should be reined in by the Vigilance,” the chief minister said. “But people are not ready to come forward against the mighty institutions.”

Mincing no words, the chief minister said many had set up self financing colleges with the sole motive of making profit. “Even liquor barons have become owners of such colleges and started selling seats on auction. All these unscrupulous activities should be brought before the law and culprits booked,” the chief minister warned.  Recalling the contributions of Christian missionaries in the education sector of the state, Mr Vijayan said that the arrival of self-financing institutions brought in the corruption and degrade the quality.

“Many aided institutions are taking large sums for student admission,” the chief minsiter pointed out. “This loot should be ended.” The chief minister sought the help of the people to end the menace. “The public should rise to occasion and help cleanse the system,” he urged. CMI provincial Fr Joseph Vayalil, M.K Muneer MLA, Corporation mayor Thottathil Raveendran, College Principal Dr Sibichen M Thomas among others spoke. CMI congregation  manager Fr Joseph Paikada presided. 

Punish the guilty, Inter Church Council to govt

Inter-Church Council president Cardinal George Alancherry on Tuesday said that the state government should take the aided managements into confidence as it moves forward. Addressing a press conference here after a meeting of the Council, Cardinal Alancherry said that he did not believe that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the Christian managements too were part of the ‘business of education’. “The Christian managements have been functioning in a transparent manner,” he said. “No one can castigate all self-financing institutions in one stroke because of isolated issues.” The government should act against colleges that commit errors, he said.

Mar Alancherry said the government’s unilateral decision to amend Kerala Educational Rules cannot be accepted. “The government should take steps to recognize the teaching and non-teaching posts sanctioned in higher secondary schools granted in 2014-15 and pay salary to the staff. Meanwhile, the council representatives who will meet the chief minister on Wednesday are likely to take up the attack on self financing colleges in the wake of the death of  Jishnu Pranoy, a student of Nehru Engineering College, Pampady. Sources said that the council sought audience with the chief minister in the background of the decision of the government to amend the KER to ensure the redeployment of excess teachers to aided schools also. Now, the teachers are being redeployed to government schools only. The goverment is yet to operationalise the order.