T’puram: Football fever has prompted the state govt to declare a holiday for all educational institutions across the state on Monday, allowing students to stay up for the Fifa World Cup final that kicked off at 12.30am.The decision was taken on the direction of chief minister V D Satheesan. The holiday will apply to all schools, colleges and higher educational institutions, including professional colleges. However, examinations that have already been scheduled will be held as planned.Announcing the decision, higher education minister Roji M John said the holiday was intended to give students an opportunity to watch the World Cup final in full enthusiasm without worrying about attending classes the next morning. He added that the decision would also help avoid travel difficulties for students returning home after the late-night match.General education minister N Shamsudheen said the govt had been receiving several requests from students over the past days seeking a holiday for the World Cup final. He said the matter was discussed with the CM before the decision was taken.The minister said no decision has been taken on declaring a compensatory working day in place of Monday’s holiday. He said the govt had considered the sporting enthusiasm among children while taking the decision and expressed the hope that their passion for watching football would eventually inspire more of them to take up the sport.
