A school with an illustrious history awaits nod for introducing co-education

SRV HS, one of oldest govt schools, is waiting for nod to enroll girls. Enrolment rate has fallen & introducing co-ed seen as way to overcome crisis. KeSCPCR ordered Govt to convert all schools to mixed ones from 2023-24. PTA, SRV OSA making efforts to get permission. Mayor, MLA, Ed Minister contacted for fast-tracking process. School established 178 yrs ago has produced stalwarts.

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.