Kerala to shut schools, as bars set to reopen

1,500 unrecognised private schools may close down if the government directive is implemented

Kerala is facing a unique situation this week, with the state government announcing plans for closure of hundreds of unrecognised, privately owned schools even as it is getting ready to allow liquor bars in the state to reopen.

The decision to permit more liquor bars to reopen is more the result of a court verdict than the state government’s policy, but social media was abuzz with criticism that the government was shutting schools and being liberal with the opening of liquor bars.

A recent circular by the state education department has asked unaided schools in the state to shut down and enrol their students from class 1 to 7 in nearby governmentrun schools or governmentaided schools.

Roughly 1,500 unrecognised private schools will have to be closed down if the government directive is implemented. These schools are the ones that have not obtained affiliation from any school board like the Central Board for Secondary Education. The state government has now decided to shut down unrecognised schools that charge exorbitant fees and function outside of the regulatory framework.

The decision has come as a shock for many schools, particularly for those that have been functioning for long, including some that have been operational for over 15 years. An emergency meeting of the management association of private unrecognised schools has been proposed to review the present crisis.

Stark contrast

The closure of schools is in stark contrast to the decision of the state government to open liquor bars that were closed when the previous United Democratic Front government shut liquor shops in an attempt to impose total prohibition in the state.

Following the court directive, the state government is going ahead with its plan to allow liquor bars and beer and wine parlours to reopen in panchayats with populations of 10,000 or more people.