THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state is set to celebrate its 65th formation day (Kerala Piravi) on Monday, it would mark two chapters in its history. First, schools in the state would reopen after more than one-and-a-half-year Covid-induced closure. Second, the Kerala Administrative Service would be a reality after a wait of over six decades, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday.
Though the state is yet to fully come out of the impact of the pandemic, it is in a better position to reopen the schools as it has the highest two-dose vaccination rate in the country in proportion to its population and has placed a system to provide immunity booster doses to children as recommended by the Ministry of Ayush. The state began the preparations for reopening the schools a month ago by cleaning and sanitising the classrooms and school premises.
“Reopening the schools is imperative for ensuring the mental health of children and the state’s future,” he said in a statement. The advice memos for those who have qualified for KAS have been issued after a wait of over 60 years.
The KAS, considered to be an important step in the state’s administrative reforms, will raise the quality of civil services, apart from promoting the efficient personnel to the level of the Indian Administrative Service. As part of administrative reforms, the state has begun steps to provide public services of government offices at the doorstep of people using digital technology. The state has also started taking steps to relax the procedures to avail various essential public services, he said.