Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon people to put up a united fight against attempts to use education to further divisiveness in society.
He was speaking before inaugurating the Kerala School Teachers Association’s ‘People’s Education Meet’ at Gandhi Park here on Tuesday evening.
Referring to President Ram Nath Kovind’s praise for the State’s secular character and unity, Mr. Vijayan said this was what most people wanted. However, there were some who wanted the State to be divided on grounds of caste or religion. The education sector was being used to further their vested interests.
In other States, this agenda of dividing people was being seen in preparation of syllabi and textbooks and grooming of children to think on such lines. “In Kerala, we have created a different environment, and we have to preserve that. Along with it, we have to fight back against such forces,” he said.
Alleging bids to defame the State, he said these were not always overt. However, it was heartening to note that such attempts were criticised not only by Keralites, but also those from outside the State. This support for the State was the result of whatever gains it had made in various fields till now, he said.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to improve infrastructure and improve academic standards to protect public schools, both government and aided. However, the government alone could not do it. There should be public support too, in the form of teacher-parent committees, former students, local people, local self-governments, people’s representatives, including MPs and MLAs, he said. “If we involve all of them, any school can be raised to excellence,” he said.
In the case of aided schools, the government would contribute the same amount raised by these schools, but to a maximum limit of ₹1 crore. The Chief Minister lauded the KSTA’s decision to handover two-lakh books to public schools, and adoption of one school in each sub-district.
