Kerala Schools Reopen After Summer Holidays with New Rules, AI Classes & Extended Hours

Kerala’s schools are all set to welcome students back on Monday as the new academic year begins, and it comes with a host of notable changes introduced by the General Education Department.

Longer School Hours for High Schoolers

One of the most significant updates is the extension of school hours for high school students. An additional 30 minutes of study time has been added to the daily schedule, except on Fridays. Additionally, Saturdays will now be working days for students from Class 2 onwards, including upper primary and high school levels.

Moral Education, Civic Sense in Focus

To instil core values, the first two weeks of the academic year will include a dedicated one-hour daily session on moral education, civic responsibility, and social awareness. This initiative will begin with an anti-drug awareness campaign on Tuesday.

New Textbooks and AI Curriculum Rollout

Freshly revised textbooks are being introduced for students in Classes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. However, not all schools have received them yet due to printing delays.

Another major shift is the introduction of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics training in high schools. New IT textbooks aligned with this vision will be available for Classes 8, 9, and 10.

Academic Year Launch Event in Alappuzha

The state-level inauguration of the academic year will take place at Kalavoor Government Higher Secondary School in Alappuzha, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially flagging off the academic activities. The department anticipates around 2.5 lakh students to join Class 1 this year.

Changes to School Schedule

To improve the daily routine, the post-lunch interval has been extended to 10 minutes. To balance this, the one-hour lunch break has been reduced by five minutes. Now, students will enjoy two short breaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Minimum Marks Rule Introduced

In a bid to uplift academic performance, minimum subject-wise marks have been made mandatory for students in Classes 5, 6, 7, and 9. Students who fail to meet these requirements will undergo a three-week remedial training program before being reassessed.

Concern Over Drop in A+ Scorers

Education Minister V. Sivankutty expressed concern over the decline in the number of A+ scorers in the SSLC exams last year. He emphasised that the government is treating the matter seriously and aims to raise academic standards across the board.