Minority commission recommends upgrading Pallikkal govt. school in Wayanad

The Kerala State Commission for Minorities has recommended that the Pallikkal Government Lower Primary (LP) School in Edavaka grama panchayat in Wayanad be upgraded to an upper primary (UP) school during the 2026-27 academic year itself. The recommendation was made at a sitting held by commission member A. Saifudeen Haji at the Collectorate conference hall on Friday and submitted to the Director of General Education.

Earlier, the Wayanad Deputy Director of Education had given a favourable response to a petition submitted to the commission seeking the school’s upgradation.

Though the 130-year-old Pallikkal Government LP School had classes up to Standard V until 1962, the UP section was later discontinued due to a lack of space. At present, the school has 14 acres of land and all necessary facilities, including 21 classrooms, an office, a staff room, toilets, and a kitchen. Eleven classrooms are smart classrooms equipped with interactive LED panels. In addition, construction of another building with six classrooms under the Wayanad Package is nearing completion.

A total of 286 students, including children from four nearby tribal settlements, were studying at the school during the last academic year. The recognised pre-primary section functioning on the same campus currently has 146 students. Children completing Class IV here have to travel more than 4 km to reach the nearest UP school. It was in this context that the minority commission recommended upgrading the institution into a UP school this year itself.

The commission considered four previously submitted complaints and one fresh petition during the sitting.