THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Moves to make corrections from the past lapses appear to have faced concerns of practicality, as authorities of various schools have reported difficulty in the new fitness certification process.
Unlike in the previous years, the schools will now have to obtain clearances from multiple bodies, including KSEB, fire & rescue, health, local self government, forest, and MVD, according to a circular issued by the health department in November 2025. However, with schools set to reopen within a month, many institutions are finding it difficult to get the paperwork done.
With the concerns reaching the top brass of administration, chief secretary A Jayatilak will soon convene a meeting with the secretaries of the departments concerned to address the issue.
“This is the first time that schools are getting such a circular. While earlier we had to contact the local body authorities and obtain the fitness certificate after inspections, school officials will have to contact agencies concerned, ensure their visit to schools, collect their approvals and hand them over to the local bodies. All of this needs to be completed before June, making it a tedious project,” a school principal told the TNIE.
However, officials from the general education department said that many headmasters have shared the same opinion. “The new process is an ideal one for sure, but a time-consuming and thereby an impractical one. Schools are trying their best to get all these clearances done, as the funding for teachers’ salaries will only be provided for those with fitness certificates,” department sources said.
While the current fitness certification system only looks for structurally stable buildings that can withstand harsh climates, which will be vetted by the local bodies concerned, the education department also issues guidelines that are to be monitored by the school PTA.
“The spirit of everything mandated by the health department is already there in these guidelines. But the formal process is what makes it complicated for schools,” the source added.
Apart from the usual process, the education department has also issued a School Safety Manual, which encompasses more aspects, including protection from drug abuse and sexual harassment.
The new norms issued by the health department include a clearance from the forest department that snake entry points have been eliminated, and rodent control and waste management measures have been implemented. The department also needs to verify that contacts of snake handlers are displayed in the school, and the staff are familiarised with the SARPA app.
KSEB has been asked to ensure that no exposed electric posts are placed near the schools. The engineering wing of the local self-government department will ensure that all buildings of the schools are structurally stable and that all overgrown, dangerous trees have been pruned or removed. Notably, a report by the local self-government department had found in September 2025 that 1,157 schools in the state had unfit buildings, of which 875 were government and 262 aided schools.
The MVD authorities will also ensure that all school vehicles are certified by the authorities. The fire & rescue department will verify the installation of functional fire extinguishers in schools and that teachers and students are trained to use them.
Tough task ahead
KSEB has been asked to ensure that no exposed electric posts are placed near the schools.
The fire & rescue department will verify the installation of functional fire extinguishers in schools and that teachers and students are trained to use them.
