THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no compulsion from the part of the state government to implement gender-neutral uniform in schools, General Education Minister V Sivankutty has clarified. He was addressing a meeting of representatives of various teachers’ association in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. The minister’s clarification came amid allegation by former minister and Indian Union Muslim League MLA M K Muneer that the LDF government was “smuggling in anti-religious thoughts” into schools by imposing gender-neutral uniforms for students.
Sivankutty also told the teachers’ representatives that the conversion of boys or girls’ only schools into co-education institutions will be done only after following due procedure.Recently, the state child rights commission had directed conversion of all schools to the co-education system by the next academic year.
The minister said as many as 18 schools have been converted into co-educational mode. “For shifting to co-education mode, school authorities should give a letter to the general education department after seeking the consent of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and the local body concerned. This will be followed by proper assessment of various factors by the department,” he said.
Sivankutty said Plus-One seats in 81 additional higher secondary batches that were sanctioned on a temporary basis last year, as well as the seats enhanced district-wise to meet the demand, will be included in the first round of allotment this year. Usually, such additional seats are included in the subsequent rounds of allotment. Reconstitution of PTAs and school management committees as per law, hastening the pace of infrastructure development in schools through KIIFB funding and launching a joint campaign with excise department to check use of narcotics in schools were also discussed. He also decried the practice of collecting funds from students for school building construction.
“The general education department will seek the opinion of public on ways to reduce the misuse of mobile phones by students while on the campus,” the minister said and added that arts and sports meets up to state-level will be held this academic year after a gap of two years.