The State government has decided to continue with the revised schools timings, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday after meeting representatives of various aided school managements following demands from the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama and its affiliate organisations to change the timings, the Minister said he had explained to them the circumstances that led the government to increase the school timings by 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon.
In their response, the majority of the management representatives welcomed the government decision.
Some opined that the timings should be increased by half an hour at one go in the afternoon. However, the difficulties involved in that were brought to their notice, he said.
The Minister pointed out that 1,100 instructional hours were required for high school classes as per the academic calendar. The school timings had been increased for 166 days, except on Fridays, by 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon.
As per the revised timings, schools would function from 9.45 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. The decision, he reiterated, was made according to a High Court directive to the government to hear the stakeholders, following which it was decided to set up an expert committee to look into the issue. The committee had recommended the increase in school timings.
The government stance had been communicated to the attendees, Mr. Sivankutty said. If grievances persist, the government would reconsider the decision the next academic year depending on the situation then, Mr. Sivankutty said.
“It is just a matter of 15 minutes. There is no need for anyone to be apprehensive or stubborn about it,” the Minister said.
Published – July 25, 2025 09:17 pm IST
