Kerala Maintains Record: No Government School Closures in Nine Years, Says Minister

quick Summary

• Kerala’s Minister for General Education, V. Sivankutty, denied claims of government school closures in the state.
• He stated no government schools in Kerala have been shut down in the past nine years.
• Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary cited statistics from UDISE and UDISE+ showing 205 government schools closing between 2019-20 and 2023-24, including multi-grade learning centres (MGLCs).
• Sivankutty clarified that MGLCs were phased out after the Right to Education Act as they did not qualify as regular schools.Students were provided free transport to nearby institutions.
• Data discrepancies exist between the Union Government’s databases (UDISE) and Kerala’s official portal Sampoorna, used for managing educational data.
• Kerala officials argue UDISE data is outdated; Sametham portal shows there are currently 5,813 government schools in Kerala.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The debate over school closure statistics signals larger concerns about data reliability and collaboration between State and Union governments. while federal databases like UDISE provide standardized figures for national policy analysis, states like Kerala rely on more localized systems such as Sampoorna, which are claimed to be more accurate due to frequent updates. These discrepancies highlight inefficiencies in integrating state-specific datasets with central frameworks.

Additionally, phasing out MGLCs reflects adherence to evolving educational norms following legislative reforms like the Right to Education Act but may contribute misleadingly to “school closure” figures if not correctly classified or communicated.

For policymakers and citizens alike, this situation underscores how clarity in definitions-like what constitutes a “closed” school-is essential for productive dialog around education reform. Improved synergy between local systems like Sampoorna and central platforms like UDISE could help mitigate public confusion while enhancing accountability across governance levels.

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