Kerala govt reiterates commitment to lawful aided school appointments

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (IANS) Kerala General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty on Wednesday reiterated that the state government will not compromise on the legal framework governing appointments in aided schools.

Responding to ongoing protests by certain school managements, the minister clarified that all actions of the government are strictly in line with the Kerala Education Act, 1958, and the Kerala Education Rules, 1959.

“The authority to appoint teachers and staff lies solely with the school management. The government’s role is limited to approving those appointments. If there are disputes, it is the management who must approach the courts. Blaming the government for evading responsibility is not right,” said Sivankutty.

He pointed out that a case relating to the appointment of differently-abled persons has been pending since 2021 before the High Court.

“The management must explain what steps they took in the last four years. After remaining inactive, it is unfair to suddenly accuse the government,” he added.

The minister warned against attempts to give a political colour to the controversy by disregarding court verdicts and the legal advice of the Advocate General.

He alleged that those who seize every chance to protest against the LDF government are behind the present agitation as well.

Reiterating the government’s priorities, Sivankutty said the administration is committed to protecting the interests of both students and teachers, while also respecting the lawful rights of private managements.

“But no violation of the law will be tolerated,” he emphasised.

Kerala has 7,277 aided schools, according to data from the Kerala Legislature, which also states the state has over 12,644 schools in total, comprising 4,504 government schools, 7,277 aided schools, and 863 unaided schools.

In Kerala, an aided school is a non-government school that receives financial assistance and salaries for its staff from the government, while school management retains the authority to appoint teachers and manage the institution.

--IANS

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