Kerala CM attacks Centre over omission of historical and scientific facts from textbooks

Along with the infrastructural development of the schools, the quality of education has also improved, Vijayan said.The chief minister said the Centre has even attempted to remove the Gandhi assassination from certain textbooks, but the Kerala government has decided to revise the lessons to inculcate historical awareness and scientific thinking in children.The Union government has been attempting to bring various changes to the education sector.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised the BJP-led Union government for omitting significant historical and scientific facts from school textbooks, stating that the southern state shows a way of revising lessons to instill historical awareness and scientific thinking in children.

The Kerala model of public education is something of which the country can be proud, he said while virtually inaugurating 68 newly constructed school buildings across the state.

''The state government has taken steps to protect the public education system in Kerala. The Kerala model of public education is something the country can be proud of. Along with the infrastructural development of the schools, the quality of education has also improved,'' Vijayan said.

The chief minister said the Centre has even attempted to remove the Gandhi assassination from certain textbooks, but the Kerala government has decided to revise the lessons to ''inculcate historical awareness and scientific thinking in children''.

''The Union government has been attempting to bring various changes to the education sector. The Centre has taken a stand that students need not learn about certain historical facts and events. They are now being removed from the textbooks. We cannot accept it,'' Vijayan said.

Urging the teachers to change according to the changing times, Vijayan claimed that in the last seven years, 10 lakh new students joined the public education (government schools) in Kerala, and over 45,000 classrooms were made hi-tech.

''Students are also proficient in advanced technology, and UNICEF has specially commended Kerala for its excellence in digital online education in the state,'' he added.

The chief minister said steps were being taken through the 'Vidyakiranam' scheme with the aim of making digital education efficient and to providing internet access and literacy among children.