Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the new education initiatives aim at enhancing quality learning and addressing adolescent challenges.
Published Jun 01, 2025 | 6:28 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 01, 2025 | 6:28 PM
Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty. (Facebook)
Synopsis: Kerala General Education Department is turning the first days of the academic year into a celebration of learning, empathy, and social awareness. ‘Koodeyundu Karuthekan’ is an ambitious empowerment programme to guide adolescents through the complexities of growing up in a fast-changing world.
When schools across Kerala reopen on Monday, 2 June, classrooms won’t just be filling up with students — they’ll be lighting up with conversations about life, values, and the world beyond textbooks.
In a bold new move, the Kerala General Education Department (GED) is turning the first days of the academic year into a celebration of learning, empathy, and social awareness.
From Classes 2 to 10 and through Higher Secondary, students will transition from rote lessons to real-world discussions — tackling topics such as drug abuse, road safety, civic responsibility, mental health, and digital discipline.
The initiative marks a statewide commitment to raise not just smarter students, but better human beings.
While schools roll out a ten-day value-based learning campaign inside classrooms, Higher Secondary schools will launch ‘Koodeyundu Karuthekan’ (with you to give you strength) — an ambitious empowerment programme to guide adolescents through the complexities of growing up in a fast-changing world — before they dive into textbooks.
Together, these programmes aim to make Kerala’s schools places where young minds aren’t just taught, but truly nurtured.
The General Education Department terms the initiative as ‘transformative’ as it is aimed at ensuring comprehensive quality education for all students through a carefully structured, inclusive, and value-based approach.
With a government order backing this plan, the focus is on making sure that the knowledge and skills children are expected to acquire at each stage are effectively achieved within the academic year itself.
The initiative emphasises continuous assessment of students’ learning levels and providing timely, targeted support to bridge gaps and strengthen understanding.
More than just academics, the plan is designed to nurture responsible, value-driven citizens by integrating constitutional principles like democracy, equality, secularism, and social responsibility into everyday learning.
Activities like reading sessions, discussions on social issues such as drug abuse and traffic awareness, health and hygiene campaigns, digital safety awareness, and environmental conservation projects will be woven into classroom experiences.
Special efforts will be made to address the learning gaps created during long vacations and transition phases, with bridging programs ensuring a smooth academic progression.
The initiative promotes teamwork, mental well-being, and civic sense while discouraging negative behaviours like bullying and ragging. Schools will also involve parents and community health experts to enrich these efforts.
Modules tailored for each school and class will be prepared by School Resource Groups, with academic backing from State Council Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Block Resource Centre (BRCs), District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), and the Director of General Education.
Through this comprehensive plan, Kerala aims to build a learning environment where academic excellence, social values, and personal development go hand in hand.
Guided by modules prepared by the School Resource Group, each activity will be tailored to suit the age and understanding of the students.
Every day, one hour will be dedicated to these activities, which promise to create a vibrant, inclusive environment where children feel free to express themselves and learn together. The schedule includes thoughtful themes for each day.
The campaign will begin with sessions against drug abuse, followed by discussions on road safety and traffic rules.
On 5 June, students will actively participate in personal hygiene and campus beautification drives, celebrating the importance of a clean and green environment.
Health, fitness, and digital discipline will be addressed in the coming days, encouraging children to embrace responsible habits.
The programme will also emphasise protecting public property, fostering mutual cooperation, and raising awareness about emotional control and ragging.
This initiative promises to make schools lively spaces of learning, care, and collective growth.
A detailed calendar highlighting the daily themes has also been handed over to the Lower Primary Section (Classes 2 to 4), Upper Primary Section (Classes 5 to 7), and High School Section (Classes 8 to 10).
In the case of addressing adolescent challenges and fostering a value-based personality development culture among students, the GED will roll out the ‘Koodeyundu Karuthekan‘ initiative on 2 June.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Higher Secondary Academic Division, aims to create an integrated support system by coordinating with multiple government agencies to provide scientific, structured interventions to tackle issues such as ragging, drug use, violence, vandalism, and vehicle misuse among adolescents.
Designed as an action-based, experiential training module, the project draws from extensive consultations with experts across various fields. It intends to instil a sense of personal hygiene, environmental cleanliness, civic responsibility, and legal awareness among students while promoting positive mental health and emotional well-being.
“This initiative is about more than discipline — it’s about equipping our youth to meaningfully participate in the knowledge society envisioned by the Kerala Curriculum,” said a senior official from the Higher Secondary Academic Division.
The project kicks off on 2 June with an orientation session for parents, students, and teachers, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of the initiative’s objectives and implementation strategies.
Parents will also attend a 30-minute awareness session on effective parenting.
A series of thematic training sessions will follow:
The project will culminate on 21 June with activities observing World Anti-Drug Day.
Earlier, mentioning the programmes, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the new education initiatives aim at enhancing quality learning and addressing adolescent challenges.
While one programme will instil constitutional values such as democracy, secularism, equality, and civic consciousness among students, the other will tackle issues like ragging, violence, drug use, and vehicle misuse among adolescents through scientific methods.
The chief minister added that awareness sessions for parents, teachers, and students will be conducted when schools reopen to ensure a holistic approach to student well-being.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the state-level school entrance festival (Praveshanolsavam) for the new academic year on 2 June at 9.30 am at Kalavur Government Higher Secondary School in Alappuzha.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty will preside over the function. Joining the celebrations as chief guests will be Agriculture Minister P Prasad, Fisheries and Culture Minister Saji Cherian, and Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan.
The colourful event will mark the ceremonial reopening of schools across the state, welcoming thousands of students to classrooms with special programmes, decorations and cultural performances.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
