‘Slave mentality’ allegation: Kerala education minister V Sivankutty orders inquiry into school practices

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Education V Sivankutty stated that the state government is taking seriously the reports of students washing the feet of teachers in certain schools run by Bharatiya Vidya Niketan.

He said the incident is "deeply objectionable" and goes against democratic values. “Education should foster scientific awareness and progressive thinking in children. Such practices directly undermine the core principles of our education system,” the minister remarked.

Reports indicate that such incidents occurred at Saraswati Vidyalaya in Bandadukka, Kasaragod, and Vidyadhiraja Vidyapeetham Central School in Mavelikkara. The minister described the revelations as “extremely shocking.”

The Director of General Education has been instructed to immediately seek explanations from these CBSE-affiliated schools.

“Practices that encourage a slave mentality among students are wholly unacceptable,” Sivankutty said, stressing that the purpose of education is to nurture knowledge and self-awareness. “Education is a hard-earned right, won through struggles against caste-based discrimination and historical denial of literacy. This right must never be dishonoured or demeaned,” he added.

He further clarified that the Department of Public Education holds the authority to take action against any school, regardless of its board or syllabus, if it violates the Right to Education Act or other educational regulations. Strict measures will be taken to ensure such practices are not repeated in any educational institution.