THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aimed at transforming schools in the state into ‘model campuses’, a project titled ‘Clean School, Smart Children’ will be launched on November 14 by Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb.
The project is a joint initiative of the state General Education Department and the Centre’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and will be implemented in government and aided schools. The venue for the state-level inauguration of the project will be Kakkad Government Upper Primary School in Malappuram. “While ensuring a clean and healthy environment in campuses, the project also aims at improving the academic standards. The project will ensure that all schools in the state conform to the provisions of the Right To Education Act,” P K Abdu Rabb told reporters here.
The government will encourage schools in effectively implementing the project. Schools will be asked to come up with innovative programmes. A national seminar titled ‘Edu Excellence’ will also be held as part of the project. Schools will be asked to keep premises ‘spit-free, litter-free and plastic-free.’
The project envisages clean toilets, adequate play area and other infrastructure facilities. It also lays down guidelines on preparing mid-day meals in hygienic conditions and ensuring nutritious meals, besides proper waste management and organic farming. The project also lays emphasis on improving the academic standards by ensuring enough class hours, preparation of annual plan, special package for children from backward sections and setting up of class and school councils. Asked about the lack of adequate toilet facilities in schools, Abdu Rabb said that work on construction of toilets in government schools will be completed by the end of this month.
“Aided and unaided schools have been given time till the end of this academic year to improve sanitation facilities. Action will be taken against those schools which do not fall in line,” he said. As part of making art an integral part of the curriculum, art galleries will be set up in one school each in all assembly constituencies. A total of 140 art galleries will be set up in partnership with Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi, Abdu Rabb said.
A painting competition will be held under three categories - Sub-Junior (for lower primary students), Junior (for upper primary students) and Senior (for high school and higher secondary students) - on November 14. Works of art which have won prizes in the competition as well as other works by students will be exhibited in the art galleries.