Kollam , 31 Jan (H.S.):Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has announced a major reform aimed at easing the academic burden on school students, stating that the state will reduce the syllabus by 25% starting from the next academic year. The move is intended to address long-standing concerns over excessive study pressure on children while retaining the core quality of learning.
The minister made the announcement in Kollam during a function to hand over a newly constructed house to the family of Mithun, a school student who died after being electrocuted by a low-hanging power line near the Thevalakkara Boys Higher Secondary School. During the event, three students submitted a memorandum to the minister requesting a reduction in academic workload. Referring to their appeal, Sivankutty said the government had already taken concrete steps in that direction.
“Academic burden is a widely acknowledged concern among students, parents, and teachers. To address this, the syllabus will be reduced by 25%. This decision has been approved by the curriculum committee and will come into effect from next year,” the minister said. He clarified that the content and quality of textbooks would not be diluted, but the overall volume of the syllabus would be streamlined to make learning more effective and less stressful.
Sivankutty also highlighted that the curriculum steering committee had earlier approved a draft report proposing a series of transformative reforms in the state’s education sector. These include scientifically reducing the weight of school bags and introducing classroom practices that eliminate the concept of “backbenchers.”
According to the minister, steps are being initiated to ensure that school bag weight is brought down in a manner that safeguards students’ physical health. Excessive bag weight has been a serious concern, and the government is addressing it through a scientific and student-centric approach.
The proposed classroom reforms aim to ensure that no student feels left out. By changing seating arrangements and classroom practices, the government intends to reinforce the idea that every child receives equal attention. These changes are expected to help create a more inclusive, democratic, and student-friendly learning environment across Kerala’s schools.
The minister reiterated that the reforms are part of a broader vision to modernise the state’s education system while prioritising students’ mental and physical health, with a focus on holistic development in schools.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
