Kerala Govt Revises Controversial Order on HSS Principals

Quick Summary

• The Kerala General Education department amended a recent order that required higher secondary Principals to perform clerical duties.
• Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty announced the amendment via social media following objections from teachers and Principals.
• The original order stated that there was insufficient work in higher secondary schools to justify maintaining full-time clerk posts. As a result, clerical tasks were assigned to Principals, whose teaching loads had been reduced accordingly. Other roles like school librarian could also be managed by teachers with fewer classroom responsibilities,according to the initial directive.
• The controversial order was informed by a High Court case where the manager of Valayanchirangara Higher Secondary School sought sanction for posts such as clerk and librarian.
• Teachers argued that they were overburdened with teaching, assessments, administrative tasks like data collection and admissions work, leaving little time for engaging students outside academics or extra-curricular activities.
• Additional concerns revolved around understaffing in key office positions across unified school structures such as peons and menial staff not being adequately allocated for higher secondary institutions post-unification.
• The government’s reasoning cited financial strain: it argued against creating more non-essential staff positions due to budgetary commitments in public education sectors.

Indian Opinion Analysis
This issue highlights an ongoing challenge balancing resource allocation within India’s public education system while addressing administrative workload pressures on educators and school leaders effectively. Though the amended order marks progress responding fairly swiftly concerns acting upon feedback strength stands least contentious aspects align consultation voices previously stakeholders principal objections therein broader policy communication emphasized sensitive-based systemic long-term trajectory funding rationalization schools task-sharing adequately remains area scrutiny participative measure future strategize boosting functionality purposesatisfaction inclusivity without reducing essential pedagogical connectivity human value societal concern raised teacher association advocating profit-loss framing nuanced advocacy equitable preeminence strengthening educational ecosystem primarily .

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