Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala government on Sunday strongly condemned reports that some private school managements imposed restrictions on Christmas celebrations and refunded money collected from students for the event.The government also warned that schools would not be allowed to be turned into “communal laboratories”.Such actions are unheard of in a state like Kerala, which has a high level of democratic consciousness and a long-standing secular tradition, it said.”No one will be permitted to introduce the north Indian models that divide people on the basis of religion or belief in Kerala’s educational institutions,” state General Education Minister V Sivankutty told reporters here.He said schools are spaces where children learn and grow together, cutting across caste and religion, and any attempt to sow divisive ideas among students is unacceptable.Festivals such as Onam, Christmas and Eid have traditionally been celebrated together in the state schools, helping children learn mutual respect, love and coexistence, he said.The decision of certain private school managements to cancel celebrations after collecting money and then refunding them was “cruel” and amounts to hurting children.All schools, whether aided or unaided, are bound by the Constitution of India, education rules and laws of the country, and have a responsibility to uphold values of secularism, Sivankutty further said.Warning of strict action against such practices, the minister said schools would not be allowed to function as spaces to serve narrow political or communal interests.”Imposing restrictions selectively on the celebrations of any one community amounts to discrimination and will not be tolerated,” he said.Sivankutty also reaffirmed that any move that undermines the dignity and tradition of Kerala’s public education sector would not be allowed.The minister further said instructions have been given to officials to conduct an urgent inquiry into the matter and submit a report.The General Education minister also said complaints have been received from students and parents regarding the conduct of compulsory special classes in some schools during the upcoming Christmas vacation. Such classes should not be conducted during holidays, he said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Not Misleading Propaganda’: Bangladesh Responds To India Over Delhi High Commission Protest‘Have To Stay United’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat On Atrocities Against Hindus In BangladeshIndia Rejects Dhaka Media Reports On Protest Outside Bangladesh HC, Flags Attack Against MinoritiesViewing ‘Sangh’ Through the Lens of the BJP Is a Huge Mistake, Says RSS Chief Mohan BhagwatBangladesh Arrests 10 After Brutal Killing of Hindu Youth in Mymensingh“Generation After Generation”: Yunus Vows To Fulfil Sharif Osman Hadi’s Vision And IdealsMassive Crowds Gather in Dhaka for State Funeral of Slain Youth Icon Osman HadiPAK Citizens Criticize “Weak Judiciary” As Imran Khan’s Prison Term Is IncreasedHindu Lynching Sparks Outrage: Shashi Tharoor Warns On Mob Rule, Priyanka Blasts Modi Govt SilenceEx-PM Imran Khan And Bushra Bibi Jailed For 17 Years In Toshakhana Gift Jewellery Case123Photostories5 essential tips to stay healthy if you work night shifts5 things one must always donate in temples and whyBenjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”: 5 lessons it teaches studentsWhy your brain does not want you to multitaskBigg Boss Telugu 9: Meet the finalists of the season10 tips for good mental health you should be taking to 20268 life lessons from “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor FranklWorld Saree Day: 5 sarees from Incredible India that put the country on the global fashion mapVision Board 2026 based on your birth number, according to astrologyThis famous desert is covered in snow right now and the photos are stunningly beautiful123Hot PicksTom BradyEpstein files releasedTim SaunderGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays DecemberBank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJosh Allen Luxury Car CollectionRandi MahomesAuston MatthewsPatrick MahomesJeremy Doku and Shireen Doku Net WorthUPPSC LT Grade Teacher ExamPaul Heyman and Marla Heyman Net WorthBengaluru TempeturePM Modi HelicopterRailway Fare Hike
Kerala government on Sunday strongly condemned reports that some private school managements imposed restrictions on Christmas celebrations and refunded money collected from students for the event.The government also warned that schools would not be allowed to be turned into “communal laboratories”.Such actions are unheard of in a state like Kerala, which has a high level of democratic consciousness and a long-standing secular tradition, it said.“No one will be permitted to introduce the north Indian models that divide people on the basis of religion or belief in Kerala’s educational institutions,” state General Education Minister V Sivankutty told reporters here.He said schools are spaces where children learn and grow together, cutting across caste and religion, and any attempt to sow divisive ideas among students is unacceptable.Festivals such as Onam, Christmas and Eid have traditionally been celebrated together in the state schools, helping children learn mutual respect, love and coexistence, he said.The decision of certain private school managements to cancel celebrations after collecting money and then refunding them was “cruel” and amounts to hurting children.All schools, whether aided or unaided, are bound by the Constitution of India, education rules and laws of the country, and have a responsibility to uphold values of secularism, Sivankutty further said.Warning of strict action against such practices, the minister said schools would not be allowed to function as spaces to serve narrow political or communal interests.“Imposing restrictions selectively on the celebrations of any one community amounts to discrimination and will not be tolerated,” he said.Sivankutty also reaffirmed that any move that undermines the dignity and tradition of Kerala’s public education sector would not be allowed.The minister further said instructions have been given to officials to conduct an urgent inquiry into the matter and submit a report.The General Education minister also said complaints have been received from students and parents regarding the conduct of compulsory special classes in some schools during the upcoming Christmas vacation. Such classes should not be conducted during holidays, he said.
