Kerala to award grace marks to students for participating in reading activities from next academic tear

More than a year after the Kerala government began mulling awarding grace marks for reading, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has announced that grace marks will be awarded from the next academic year to school students who participate in activities meant to promote the reading habit.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Minister said one period a week would be set aside for students of Classes I to IV to participate in reading and related activities. Students from Classes V to XII would engage in newspaper reading and assigned activities in the allotted period.

The post, however, did not specify the grace marks to be awarded.

Teachers would be given training in implementing reading-related activities and a handbook brought out for them.

The Minister said inclusion of a reading-related event in the schools arts festivals was also under consideration.

Last year, the Minister had announced that a festival of reading will be organised at the school level to promote the reading habit.

The Minister had also chaired an interaction on the issue in which representatives of various media outlets participated. A special period for reading newspapers and conducting debates and discussions on news and issues was one of the suggestions that arose at the meeting.

However, concerns have been raised about underutilisation of libraries in Kerala.