Click to play videoThiruvananthapuram: It has come as bad news for the most literate state in the country. A surprise headcount in government-aided schools in Kerala have shown an alarming drop in the number of students by 2.5 lakh. This means proportionately, 2,000 teachers would lose their jobs though the government says that is not going to happen.
Minister of State for Education, M A Babi said, "Once you take the average there would not be any requirement for teachers being thrown out. This is what I reassure. Then again it's a policy decision which will have to be referred to the Cabinet."
The teachers blame the situation on the unrecognised, unaided, English-medium schools many of which have sprung up recently. There are about 1,000 such schools across Kerala and parents prefer them because they have much better facilites and because the Left government is forever tinkering with government-school education.
President Government School Teachers Union (GSTU), Sasi says, "In government schools nowadays, they are cutting down on examinations, drastically changing the syllabus in the name of reform. This is taking away the competitive edge which is seen in CBSE and ICSE schools."
For many teachers like Sidrathul, the threat has already become real. She has been staying at home for more than a year now.
Government says it will do all it takes to protect the job of the teachers, but it's already doing little to address the larger problem. Giving free and compulsory education alone will not solve the matter. Only quality education can arrest this exodus.
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