The government has pumped in crores for construction of school buildings over the past many years, but there remain 99 schools in the State that do not have their own buildings.
The majority of these are government schools. District-wise data show that these schools are located in all but three districts in the State. The districts where these schools are located are Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
The highest number of such schools is in Malappuram – 33. The lowest is in Kollam – 1. Kannur has 21 such schools.
In a reply in the Assembly to a question by MLAs N.A. Nellikunnu, P.K. Basheer, KPA Majeed, and M.K. Muneer, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty said fitness certificate of schools functioning in rented buildings was examined at the time of staff fixation every year. “Steps are under way for schools functioning in rented buildings to purchase their own property,” the Minister said.
The Minister also pointed out that IT equipment had been made available to such schools under the High-tech School and High-tech Lab projects.
According to the Economic Review 2024, there were 103 government schools that were working in rented buildings. A year before, their number was 98.
Unfit structures
The State also has 1,157 schools that have buildings unfit for conducting classes according to the Local Self-government department and need to be torn down. The majority, again, are in the government sector.
Kollam has the most such schools – 143, followed by Alappuzha with 134, and Thiruvananthapuram with 120.
Mr. Sivankutty, in a reply to C.R. Mahesh, MLA, in the Assembly said that the government viewed the matter with utmost seriousness. Construction of new buildings for the schools was being carried out using Plan funds and through Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) projects and maintenance through other funds.
Schools need to obtain fitness certificate for their structures from the local body concerned before they reopen each year in June for a new academic session.
According to guidelines, schools should not open on any account without obtaining fitness certificate.
The Director of General Education had issued a circular to schools on fitness of school buildings on May 13 as part of school reopening preparations to ensure student safety.
Fitness certificates are mandatory even if classes are held in rented structures where schools building construction is under way. Instructions were also given to securely barricade construction zones within school premises.
A meeting attended by Mr. Sivankutty and Minister for Local Self-government M.B. Rajesh had decided that all portions of structures on school campuses that posed a risk to lives should be dismantled before school reopening.
As per disaster management laws, District Collectors would issue orders in this regard and local self-government institutions would dismantle the structures.
Published – October 04, 2025 06:10 pm IST
