New Book Exposes Inequalities in Kerala’s Education Sector

Swift Summary

• Historian and former Vice-Chancellor of teh University of Calicut, K.K.N. Kurup, was felicitated by MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer at an event in Kozhikode on August 13, 2025.
• The book Malabar: An Educational Colony of Trivandrum, co-authored by K.K.N. Kurup and academic P.V. Muhammed Kutty, highlights disparities in education infrastructure between Kerala’s northern (Malabar) and southern districts.
• Statistics mentioned:

– Kuttanad Educational District (southern Kerala) accommodates 5,639 students across high schools with 515 staffers on a total area of 216.46 acres.
– PKM Higher Secondary School in Edarikkode (Malappuram district in northern Kerala) serves a larger student body-5,917 students-with fewer resources: it spans only 4.24 acres with 167 staffers.

• The authors observed widespread disparities across higher secondary batches with low enrolment (<25 students), arts/science colleges, engineering/polytechnic institutions, teachers' training colleges, and nursing institutes.
• E.T. Mohammed Basheer remarked that while northern districts had made gains in accessibility and quality improvement in education recently, thay remained disadvantaged compared to the south.
• Mr. Kurup clarified that the book’s intention is not segregation but to address injustices within Malabar’s educational system.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The data presented by K.K.N. Kurup’s work points toward significant regional imbalances within Kerala’s educational sector-disparities that extend from student-teacher ratios to infrastructural distribution across various types of educational institutions like schools or professional training centers.

while steps have been taken to improve enrolment rates and accessibility as noted by MP E.T Mohammed Basheer during the event launch-a positive sign for equitable advancement-the uneven allocation suggests underlying systemic issues needing attention from policymakers.

Given its history as a state widely regarded for progressive education models within India, addressing these inequalities is crucial not just for balanced regional growth but also for ensuring fairness among diverse communities across Kerala’s north-south divide.

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