The Kerala government will take a final decision on implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme only after a government-appointed sub-committee submits its report, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State President Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said on Friday.
Thangal also referred us to the Centre's flagship school modernisation programme to ensure Kerala's long-standing educational values and traditions would remain the government's priority.
"We will take a clear decision after the sub-committee has finished this study. We will move forward after addressing all of the concerns," he said.
Thangal also sought to reassure students, parents and educators that the state’s education system would continue to function in accordance with Kerala’s established academic traditions.
"We have a tradition here, and our students will continue studying according to that. There will be no decision beyond that," he said.
Why has the PM SHRI Scheme sparked the debate?
The PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme is a centrally sponsored initiative initiated by the Union government to transform selected government schools into model institutions with modern infrastructure, improved teaching methods and technology-enabled classrooms.
The scheme aims to develop more than 14,500 schools across the country, including institutions run by the Central Government, state governments, Union Territories, local bodies, Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS) and Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS).
According to the Centre, PM SHRI schools are set up to provide a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment, and to reflect the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision. We will enhance physical infrastructure, digital learning, skills and experiential education to create responsible as well as productive citizens.
However, the scheme has generated political debate in Kerala.
The IUML, which currently holds the general education portfolio in the United Democratic Front (UDF) government, has expressed reservations about the programme, claiming that it could be used as an attempt to "saffronise" the education system.
During the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Kerala signed an MoU with the Centre to implement the PM SHRI scheme. However, its implementation was later put on hold after opposition by the then UDF and the LDF.
After taking office, the UDF government formed a sub-committee to study the scheme in detail before making a final decision.
The committee will have to assess the concerns of the relevant parties and what it is likely to do with the education agenda and policies of Kerala.
Thangal's latest comments suggest that the government is unlikely to take any immediate decision until the committee has carried out its review, and the PM SHRI scheme in Kerala will be affected by the panel's recommendations.
