Class tests mandatory every month: Minister

Class tests will be mandatory every month to assess school students’ academic performance and improve it, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.

At a press conference here on Monday (July 7, 2025) after a meeting of education officials, from assistant education officers (AEO) and district education officers (DEO) to deputy directors of education (DDE) and regional deputy directors, to discuss implementing the academic master plan for schools through the comprehensive quality education programme, how to implement 30% subject minimum in classes V to IX, and maintain the achievements of the National Achievement Survey, the Minister said the common question paper for the class tests will be provided by the Directorate of General Education. Students who do not meet the outcomes will be identified through these tests and they will be provided additional academic support.

On implementing subject minimum in Classes V to IX, the Minister said students who do not meet the 30% subject minimum this year will be given academic support and through bridge courses and re-examination, they will be promoted. It had been found that promoting students who had not achieved learning outcomes led to them falling behind, the Minister said.

Parents’ role

District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) and the Samagra Shiksha Kerala would provide the academic support. Academic support committees including parent-teacher association (PTA), mother PTA, local bodies, school support group, and representatives of political parties should be formed in schools. Ward councillors or member should be convener of these support committees.

The Minister reminded that parents could track students’ learning standards through the Sahitham portal.

Students, he said, will be provided with a copy of the academic master plan.

Celebrating achievement

Kerala’s achievement in the National Achievement Survey wherein it bagged 65.33 points and secured the second position will be celebrated in all schools on July 10. Special assembly would be held in schools. The State-level inauguration of the celebrations would be held in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Minister said the revised midday meal menu should be displayed on school notice boards. Directions had been issued to start school nutrition garden in all government and aided schools by August 15.

The Minister said that a recommendation to digitise the process of general transfer of government higher secondary school Principal had been submitted to the government.

DDEs, DEOs, and AEOs would visit schools at regular intervals.