178 high schools being upgraded

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 178 high schools in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod are being upgraded as higher secondary schools.

Speaking on behalf of the Education Minister in the Assembly on Friday, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar said new higher secondary batches would start functioning in these schools from this academic year itself. He was replying to a private members resolution, seeking a special programme for expanding school facilities in north Kerala. Mr. Vijayakumar said north Kerala had been remaining backward in all respects, compared to the rest of the State. Over the last four years, there had been a focused effort to change the situation, not only by initiating steps to start several major development projects, but also by expanding the facilities for education in the region.

He said more than 22,000 seats were increased for higher secondary education in north Kerala during the last four years