Sainik School crisis nears resolution: Education minister to visit campus

Thiruvananthapuram: The financial crisis of Sainik School, Kazhakoottam, seems headed for a permanent solution. The moves by the state government to honour the salary and pension commitments have reached the final stage. Prior to inking the memorandum with the centre, the education minister, V Sivankutty, is scheduled to visit the campus on Friday. It is learned that the purpose of the official visit is to discuss the modalities of this procedure with the school authorities.

The finance department has cleared the file pertaining to the financial aid to be granted to the school. It is now with the education department. Once the memorandum is signed with the centre the state will have to apportion finances towards the pension of the school employees. The delay in disbursement of salary from December 2021 onwards, had seen both the teaching and non-teaching staff sit-in protest in front of the school on February 1.

It was this protest that broadcast the shocking news that one of the ace Sainik schools was facing closure. Realising the gravity of the situation. ‘Mathrubhumi’ went into campaign mode and informed the public of the true picture.

An amount of Rs 9.5 crore is incurred yearly on salaries and pensions, of which Rs 4 crore accrue as fees. The resultant shortfall was made up by dipping into reserve funds. The drastic depletion of the latter led to the forfeiture of salary pay-out.   

While faced with a similar crisis in 2021, school authorities had approached the chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, and the then finance minister Dr Thomas Isaac. Both had consented sympathetically to the plea for monetary help. No official action followed their words. The centre is adamant that the state governments have to meet the financial burdens of Sainik schools.

Though the centre has been wanting the state government to sign the memorandum of financial upkeep from 2006 onwards, the latter avoided it. Apart from a few exceptions like Kazhakoottam school, most other Sainik schools are functioning meritoriously under state patronage. Under such circumstances, Kerala cannot expect any leniency. The only way out was for the state to shoulder the responsibility. The gates now seem to be opening for that possibility.

 The hope is that the signing of a binding agreement by the centre and the state of Kerala will open up a bright future of unimpeded working of Sainik School, Kazhakoottam.