Kerala Education Minister proposes discussion on changing annual school vacation timings amid climate concerns

The Hindu

4 days ago

Kerala's General Education Minister V. Sivankutty has proposed a public discussion on whether the government should adjust the academic year-end vacation schedule for schools, considering the concerning loss of class time due to climate change-induced weather fluctuations, particularly intensified monsoons and the accompanying risk of floods and rain havoc.
Mr. Sivankutty told a press conference on Thursday (July 31, 2025) that education experts had repeatedly flagged the worrying loss of study days caused during the school reopening phase in June, when the monsoon besets Kerala.
Mr. Sivankutty said he had raised the prospect of switching the April-May summer vacation to June-July monsoon holidays at public meetings in some schools and asked students and teachers to raise their hands to indicate support. 'Quite a few did, while others applauded,' he added.
Easier said than done
However, Mr. Sivankutty said, the switch was easier said than done. It required amending the Kerala Education Rules (KER) and negotiating with teachers' organisations and Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs).
'The government does not want to rock the boat. It did not want an unnecessary furore and protest. The administration will only take a call on the proposal, if at all, by striking a consensus with all stakeholders, including political parties, local bodies and revenue authorities,' Mr. Sivankutty.
'Often, the inclement weather and risk of widespread flooding constrain revenue authorities from commandeering school buildings for opening relief camps in June-July. Parents stay up late to find out whether the District Collector will declare a holiday for schools on days of heavy rain. Moreover, they find it challenging to drop children off at school and pick them up later. Furthermore, children risk catching rain-related ailments', Mr. Sivankutty said.
He averred that some summers seemed bearable for children. 'If there is any spike in temperature, the authorities can take a call on a case-by-case basis,' he added.
Braille textbooks
Mr. Sivankutty announced the reintroduction of Braille textbooks for visually challenged higher secondary students. He said that currently, Braille textbooks were available only for children up to Class 10. He said Braille textbooks for higher secondary students had not been in circulation since 2015. 'We will distribute them immediately,' he added.
Physical disability reservation
Mr. Sivankutty said the issue of providing reservations for persons with disabilities in educational institutions remained mired in ambiguous government orders and court directives. Hence, the State would publish a handbook codifying the court directives and government orders concerning the subject.
Mr. Sivankutty also flagged complaints about the delay in disbursing salaries to the temporary teachers in government and government-aided schools in Malappuram. 'The government will immediately rectify the anomaly,' he said.