Samastha Group to Protest Extended School Hours

Swift summary:

• Protests Planned: The Samastha Kerala madrasa Management Association (SKMMA), tied to the Sunni scholars’ forum Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, announced protests against increased school working hours in aided, government, and recognised unaided schools following the State syllabus. Key protest events include district ‘dharnas’ on August 5 and a march to the Secretariat on September 30.
• extended School Hours: Weekly school hours for Classes VIII-X have been increased by 30 minutes (15 minutes extra each in morning and afternoon sessions) except Fridays. Changes aim to meet Right to Education Act requirements-220 working days and 1,100 instructional hours annually.
• Concerns Raised: SKMMA leaders expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s handling of religious education schedules. They claim no prior dialog occurred before implementing changes that conflict with madrasa timings.
• government vs Religious discontent: E. Moideen Faizy of SKMMA criticized reliance on a High Court order without addressing practical alternatives or community concerns. Haris Beeran of IUML accused the State government of intentionally targeting Muslim religious practices through policies like extended school hours and Zumba introductions in schools.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The planned protests reflect growing friction between balancing educational policy reforms under legal mandates such as those outlined by the Right to Education Act while respecting local cultural practices. The additional instructional time aligns with broader efforts toward improved academic outcomes but has inadvertently challenged established madrasa schedules critical to Sunni Muslim communities.

The allegations from entities like SKMMA suggest a gap in communication strategies by policymakers, which could exacerbate tensions surrounding religious sensitivities if consensus-building discussions are neglected further. From an administrative standpoint, simultaneous enforcement of court-guided rules with provisions for engagement between all stakeholders-especially minority groups-is crucial for both effective governance and societal cohesion.

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