Self-financing colleges have become commercial establishments: CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday crticised self-financing educational institutions saying many of them have become commercial establishments.

Inaugurating the state-level public education protection mission at Malayankeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram, he said many of them even think that running an educational institution was more profitable than doing liquor business.

The Chief Minister said that according sanction to start self-financing institutions without guidelines had resulted in the present situation.

The then Congress-led UDF government had opened up the education sector in Kerala for self-financing stream in early 2000.

Stating that it is the public sector schools that maintain high standards, Vijayan said that the government had initiated various steps to improve infrastructure in state-run educational institutions.

Plans were on the anvil to make hi-tech classrooms in schools and steps were on to revive the teaching method from standard one to 12, he said.

Providing education to students of all strata, cutting across caste, religion and financial barriers was one among the several salient features of public sector schools, Vijayan said adding 'Kerala model of education has even garnered world attention'.

The Chief Minister said the state education sector was on the path to achieve its dream of becoming the first fully digitalised public education system in the country by converting 40,000 classrooms into hi-tech classes.

The training process to teachers would also be reformed in tune with time, he said.

State Education Minister C Raveendranath was among those present on the occasion.