Thiruvananthapuram: The government has revised a controversial order on higher secondary schools following widespread protests by teachers and principals.

The order, issued recently by the Department of General Education, had stated that higher secondary teachers work no more than two hours a day on average. It also said there is no need for a full-time clerk in higher secondary schools, noting that the principals’ teaching load was cut down to 8 periods a week to handle those duties.

'Mathrubhumi' reported on Monday that the order was issued while disposing of a petition filed by the manager of Valayanchirangara Higher Secondary School in Ernakulam, seeking clerk, librarian and full-time non-teaching posts.

The statement drew strong criticism from both ruling and opposition teacher organisations, which demanded that the order be withdrawn, calling it derogatory towards teachers and principals.

Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty intervened after the matter was brought to his attention.