Who is the current Education Minister of Kerala 2022?
V. Sivankutty is an Indian politician who is the current Minister of Education and Labour under the Government of Kerala since 24 May 2021.
About V. Sivankutty :
V. Sivankutty was an erstwhile member of the Legislative Assembly of Kerala. He had represented the Nemom Constituency in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Also, he is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala,and the State Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Kerala. He even joined as the District President of CITU, Government Presses Union President, Skilled Workers Union President, Titanium Labour Union President, District Football Association Patron, Kerala Mountaineering Association Member, Kerala University Senate, etc.
He is a minister under the department of Pinarayi Vijayan (i.e. Pinarayi Vijayan-led-LDF cabinet). He operates Public Portfolios of Public Education and Labour and others.
Personal Life –
- V.Sivankutty was born on 10 November 1954.
- His Parents: Father – M. Vasudevan Pillai (the activist)
Mother – P. Krishnamma
- His wife – R. Parvathi Devi { a member of women’s rights activist and the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC)}.
- He is the son-in-law of P.Govinda Pillai ( late communist idealogue) and M. J. Rajamma (Professor of Kerala University).
- Poet Sugathakumari and former chief minister P.K. Vasudevan Nair are his relatives.
- Education –
- When he was a student, he was a football player.
- He pursued a BA LLB course from Sree Narayan College, Chempazhanty, and the Kerala Law Academy, Thiruvananthapuram, and was part of SFI ( Student’s Federation of India ) since his student life.
- Career in Politics (Vasudevan Sivankutty) –
- During his college days, he became a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student’s wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
- Following this he joined the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
- Subsequently, he entered politics, when he was appointed the President of the erstwhile Ulloor Panchayat and the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation (from 2011-2016).
- He had worked in different positions earlier such as its District President, State President, District Secretary, State Secretary, All India Joint Secretary, All India Mayor’s Council, the MLA of Thiruvananthapuram East, etc.
- He was able to achieve the position to become the MLA of Nemom again by winning an election against BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan and K. Muraleedharan in Kerala Assembly Elections, in the recent past.
- Now, he is functioning as a member of the State Secretary, District President, CITU’s State Secretary, a State Committee, etc.
- Works and Achievements of V. Sivankutty –
- As an MLA and a veteran CPM leader, after representing Nemom, V. Sivankutty served as Minister of General Education of Kerala.
- He has also handled the Labour Department.
- He won the elections against veteran BJP politician and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan from Nemom in 2021. The other contender was Congress MP K Muraleedharan.
- He has been working on making digital-online learning accessible to some extent. Some landmark decisions were taken by him regarding the streaming of lectures digitally and have decided to take this step ahead.
- List of some other Departments under the Education Minister in Kerala –
- Literacy Movement
- Employment and Training Skills
- Industrial Tribunals
- Rehabilitation
- Factories and Boilers
- Insurance Medical Service
- Labour Courts
Top 10 Responsibilities and Duties of Education Minister of Kerala :
The Education Minister and the Department of Education of Kerala are responsible –
- To classify the schools considering different points and to maintain the private schools, already existing schools, aided schools, etc. Also, to take care of the fee structures of the private schools.
- To announce the important dates of Attendance, holidays, and vacation at the beginning of the academic year.
- To frame rules and regulations for schools like admissions, removal of students, transfer, etc.
- For human resource development and education which means expanding access, improving the quality of educational institutions, etc.
- To provide financial help whether through scholarships, loan subsidies, etc. to the deserving students from deprived sections of society.
- To make sure that the rules and regulations are being followed and must conduct sudden inspections in schools.
- To make sure that the recruitment is being done for government schools as well. Also, to ensure that proper salary is being handed over to them.
- To make sure schools are recruiting non-teaching staff.
- To pay heed to some of the groups like the poor, females, and the minorities regarding their admission, fee structure, etc.
- To formulate the National Policy on Education and to promote international cooperation with the UNESCO and foreign governments as well as Universities, in the education field to enhance the educational opportunities.
Note –
- The District Literacy Department is responsible to handle the primary, secondary, and higher secondary education, adult education, and literacy activities at the district level.
- The Directorate of Public Instruction is headed by 14 Deputy Directors who are responsible to oversee the operations in each of the revenue districts as the Deputy Directors are the Commissioner for Government Examinations in the State.
- The department of higher education in Kerala is responsible to observe and regulate University education, Technical education, scholarship, etc. in the state.
Objectives set by the Education Minister for curriculum development of students at different levels in Kerala :
- In May 2022, V. Sivankutty, the Education Minister of Kerala formulated an academic master plan of the year for schools and colleges in which it was also stated that the students will be allowed to enter or exit the academic programs as per their convenience.
- Conversion of government colleges affiliated with a University as its constituent colleges as per the new education policy and to revamp the structure and functioning of its institutions of higher learning.
- Maintenance of schools, clean-up operations, and no reptiles to lurk on schools campuses, were to be taken care of.
- Distributions of textbooks and uniforms to around 9.5 lakhs students,
- Classes to be telecast on KITE Victers channel to be continued in the new academic year.
- A new-look Samagra portal was to be used in schools. Samagra Portal is an online study platform.
- The State Council of Educational Research and Training decided to conduct the SSLC examination (higher secondary examination).
- 75 school buildings would be inaugurated by the Chief Minister at Government Vocational and Higher Secondary School at Vattiyurkavu through the Vidyakiranam mission.
Education Department :
The Education Department of Kerala focused more on education first (according to Kerala Education Act of 1958).
The private and public sectors together played a significant role in attaining the present level. The department administers school education from the pre-primary level to the higher secondary level and teacher training.
Education Department under the minister of education in Kerala:
| Present Education Minister of KeralaV.SivankuttyHigher Education Minister of KeralaDr.R.BinduDirector of General Education of KeralaSri. JEEVAN BABU KJoint Director ExaminationDr. S.S.Vivekananda |
Scholarships Schemes are offered in Kerala to provide education to students whose families cannot afford it due to financial issues.
List of Scholarship Schemes offered –
| Post Matric Scholarship for Minorities – NSPState Merit Scholarship – DCEDistrict Merit Scholarship – DCEMerit Scholarship to the children of School Teachers – DCEHindi Scholarship – DCEMuslim Nadar Girls Scholarship- DCESanskrit Scholarship – DCESuvarna Jubilee Merit Scholarship – DCEBlind/PH Scholarship – DCEMusic Fine Arts Scholarship – DCE |
Former Education Minister of Kerala:
- Professor C.Raveendranath was the education minister of Kerala before V.Sivankutty.
- He was a professor at St. Thomas College, Thrissur.
- Now he is a retired professor of Chemistry.
- He is an Indian politician and was the Minister of General Education for Kerala in the Department of Pinarayi Vijayan.
- He is also a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from Thrissur.
- Since 2011, he has been a member of the Kerala Legislature in Kerala i.e. Puthukkad Assembly.
- He helped in several projects such as the Total Literacy Program, the State Planning Board coordinator, the regional coordinator for the Human Settlements Program, ‘Nivedya Kadali’ donation of bananas at the Guruvayur temple, the supply of live vegetables to Oushadhi, a provincial government agency producing Ayurvedic medicine, the Natural Milk Scheme for the city of Thrissur, etc.
