T’puram: The state govt is considering extending the school mid-day meal scheme up to the higher secondary (HS) level and introducing breakfast alongside lunch, said general education minister N Samsudheen on Tuesday. He was inaugurating a state-level orientation workshop for district project coordinators and programme officers, organised by Samagra Shiksha Kerala at Vizhinjam’s Spark Pastoral Centre. At present, students up to Class VIII are covered under PM Poshan scheme. Extending the programme to HS level will ensure nutritious meals for all schoolchildren, he added.He said govt and the education department were committed to addressing the concerns of teachers and students. The state was obligated to implement the Supreme Court verdict on Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test. To clarify the confusion among teachers over the provisions of the verdict, govt will file a curative petition in SC and the process is under way, he said.The minister said nearly 1,700 appointments that had been awaiting approval in connection with disability-related recruitment issues were identified and approved as part of govt’s 100-day programme. SC’s directive to ensure 4% reservation for disabled persons must be implemented. Govt is examining avenues to enforce this reservation by treating each district as a unit, he added.As part of the 100-day programme, govt is also implementing its Digital Square project to provide digital learning facilities in 6,000 LP and UP schools. Training programmes in AI and robotics will be introduced for HS students. A project to create awareness about cybersecurity among students has also been included in the programme, he said.A special committee was formed to study the issues faced by physical education teachers and recommend solutions. It will submit its report in six months. Govt will appoint an expert committee to modernise VHSE, revamp courses and align them with emerging employment opportunities, said Samsudheen.
