Academics' protest force Kerala CM to drop plan to turn teacher

Kerala Chief Minister Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues were supposed to teach at schools to mark the Teachers’ Day on Monday, as per an earlier Cabinet decision. But the ministers had to abstain from taking up the role of teachers and restrict it to delivering a ‘message,’ after the academic community raised objections.


At the state level inauguration of Teachers’ Day observance at Government Central School in Thiruvananthapuram, Pinarayi Vijayan chose to speak on drug abuse, alcoholism and lifestyle disease.   He warned the students to stay away from drugs and alcohol.

The decision to impart classes for school kids on Teachers’ Day had sparked a controversy after a section of teachers protested against the move calling it an attempt to intrude into school space. The CM and his cabinet colleagues had to give up the decision following resentment from the academic community. The government decision reflected the mindset that teaching can be done by anyone, the detractors said. Moreover, the decision was taken unilaterally without consulting teachers, students or parents. Nor did any educational institution invite the ministers to take classes. The critics also said that the move amounted to ‘fascist encroachment of school space.’  

Earlier, the government had announced that ministers and MLAs would conduct classes in schools of their choice and to organize Teachers’ day celebration in over 12,000 schools in the state and to make it a year-long celebration. 

Read more: Kerala CM, cabinet colleagues to turn teachers on September 5

• Pinarayi Vijayan
• Teachers' Day
• Kerala Chief Minister
• Teachers' Day Kerala