THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is likely to bring out a revised school calendar with 200 instructional days, up to the high school level, for the current academic year. This would replace the existing academic calendar that has 220 instructional days by earmarking as many as 25 Saturdays as working days.
The High Court had earlier set aside the order of the Director of General Education declaring Saturdays as working days and directed the state government to reconsider the matter after taking into account the views of stakeholders and experts. Accordingly, a meeting of the stakeholders, chaired by the Secretary of General Education, was held on Monday.
The Kerala Pradesh School Teachers Association (KPSTA), that had approached the High Court against the 220-day school calendar, told the meeting that a revised calendar not exceeding 200 instructional days, with Monday to Friday as working days, was ideal. The stance was conveyed by KPSTA state president K Abdul Majeed.
All other teachers union representatives who spoke at the meeting, also supported a school calendar that excludes Saturdays as working days. The students’ unions also echoed a similar stance. According to sources who attended the meeting, an educational expert and child psychologist, who were also included as stakeholders also favoured excluding Saturdays. Three of the five parent representatives who attended the meeting also supported a Monday to Friday school calendar.