Kerala Signs MoU With Education Ministry To Join PM SHRI Schools Scheme

New Delhi: Kerala signed a memorandum of understanding with the Center on Thursday to participate in the Prime Minister’s SHRI Schools programme, officials said. After a prolonged period of uncertainty, the Left Democratic Front-led Kerala government has decided to sign on to the Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Schools for a Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, brushing aside objections raised by key coalition partner CPI.

The program aims to develop the infrastructure of two schools from each block with Central assistance. Each selected school is given an average annual aid of Rs 1 million for five years.

Sivankutty confirmed that the decision to participate in the scheme has been conveyed to the Center and the ministry secretary has been instructed to sign the agreement.

“This was the only way to secure the Centre’s share of the outstanding Rs 1,500 million for various educational programs in Kerala,” the minister said.

Although the CPIM and the Ministry of General Education had agreed to participate in the PM SHRI project much earlier, the Kerala government had to backtrack on the decision twice following strong objections from the CPI.

The final decision to proceed was taken without presenting the issue to the state cabinet.

Initially, the state government had opposed joining the programme, arguing that it could pave the way for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Kerala.

Concerns were also raised about the need to display hoardings identifying schools as PM SHRI Schools.