Cancel public holidays for schools in on special observances: panel

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed that public holidays for schools on special observances such as Independence Day, Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanthi be cancelled.

Acting on a petition by L. Sugathan, a social worker, a full Bench of the commission comprising chairperson K.V. Manoj Kumar and members K.K. Shaju and F. Wilson directed the General Education Secretary, Director of General Education, and the Women and Child Development Secretary to cancel public holidays on days of special observances and instead utilise these to impart knowledge to students.

On Independence Day, students should be taught about the freedom movement and those who sacrificed their lives for it and on Republic Day and Constitution Day, they should learn about the Indian Constitution. On Gandhi Jayanthi, schools should organise activities that create awareness of environmental protection and cleanliness.

Inculcate values

On days such as Onam, Christmas, and Ramadan, activities and programmes that inculcates in students values such as unity, cooperation, mutual respect, solidarity, and equality should be held in schools.

Schools should distribute among students write-ups on messages espoused by Sree Narayana Guru and other social reformers on his birth and death anniversary. Awareness classes and discussions should also be held in schools. The birth anniversary of Ayyankali who had waged a struggle for the right of a girl Panchami to attend school should be observed as right to education day in schools with various programmes.

Sudents’ leadership roles should be ensured in obervances and arts and sports competitions, the commission said.

The petitioner argued that all students from schools, irrespective of public, private, or special schools, were not participating in events or getting opportunities to organise them, and sought the commission’s intervention.

The commission also directed that steps be taken in association with the legal services authority to make students aware of laws pertaining to road safety, cyber safety, consumer protection, and protection from sexual offences. Programmes to create scientic consciousness and temper among them should be organised.

A copy of the Indian Constitution (dual language) should be kept in library of all schools in the State for students to read and refer.

Steps should be taken to ensure that Environment Day and Reading Day do not remain confined to single-day celebrations and instead become part of their entire school life.

The commission has sought an action-taken report within 60 days.