Sree Rama Varma High School (SRV HS), one of the oldest government schools in the State with a glorious history of having produced stalwarts across various fields, is desperately waiting for a nod from the education department for enrolling girls.
Not withstanding its illustrious history, the boys-only school bang in the heart of the city is gasping for survival owing to a free fall in student enrolment rate over the years with the present strength of the high school classes combined being a mere 56 students. Introducing co-education paving way for the enrolment of girls is seen as one of the ways to overcome what is turning out to be an existential crisis.
Efforts have been underway to get the requisite permission from the education department for introducing co-education for some years now but to no avail. This despite the fact that the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) in a landmark order last year had directed the State Government to convert all schools into mixed ones from the 2023-24 academic year.
“Mixed schools are good for character formation and emotional well being of students rather than boys-only and girls-only schools. The upper primary, higher secondary, and vocational higher secondary sections, which also operate in the same campus as the high school, now follow a co-education system. Not to introduce it in high school alone does not make any sense,” said Radhika C, headmistress, SRV HS.
Incidentally, the upper primary was made mixed last year bringing in two girls in the seventh standard. Unless co-education is introduced in the high school by the next academic year for natural promotion from the upper primary, those two girls will have to look for another school.
The Parent Teachers Association and the SRV Old Students Association (SRV OSA) have also been making all our efforts for the introduction of co-education. “Enrolling girls is crucial since in all educational institutions they are in majority. Introduction of co-education will definitely help to turn around the fortune of the school. We have taken up the matter with the government through Kochi Corporation and Ernakulam MLA besides trying to whip up political pressure also for fast tracking the process,” said B.R. Ajit, President, SRV OSA.
Incidentally, the Corporation Council had passed a resolution moved by the education standing committee recommending co-education in SRH HS on February 1 this year. “We are following up the proposal,” said mayor M. Anilkumar.
Following this, the District Education Officer had contacted the school headmistress seeking report on PTA decision on the matter and toilet facilities for girls on June 11. The headmistress reported that the introduction of co-education will not incur the government any additional burden since the school already has enough facilities, including a toilet with incinerator facility for girls and a private room for girls. She also forwarded the PTA’s memorandum seeking co-education system and MLA’s recommendation to that effect.
T.J. Vinod, MLA, had personally handed over a memorandum to Education Minister T. Sivankutty during the last Assembly session. “The matter is being closely followed-up. Co-education system will not only improve the enrolment but also the overall academic standard,” he said.
The school established 178 years back by Sri Rama Varma Maharaja has since produced stalwarts like poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Swami Chinmayananda, former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation Kasturirangan etc.
