Holding that the recent order by the Higher Education Department stipulating changes in the timings and functioning of the colleges caused so much of confusion and uncertainty, the Nair Service Society (NSS) here on Saturday urged the State government to rescind the order with immediate effect.
In a statement, G. Sukumaran Nair, general secretary of the organisation, said the order, which was issued in connection with the COVID-19 prevention activities, would lead the State’s higher education sector to a complete breakdown.
Connection
Further, he also sought to know the actual connection between the change in class timings and the pandemic prevention activities.
“While the colleges in the State were always given the option to schedule their working hours either between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in accordance with the local situations, the new order has unilaterally changed the timings to a schedule between 8.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. and that too at a time of restrictions in public transportation. These arrangements, which do not stipulate even a meal-break, cannot be approved by the teaching or non-teaching employees, students and their parents,” read the statement.
Calamity-prone region
Pointing out that the activities scheduled between 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. were taking place in all the colleges even beyond the time schedule, it further stated that the new order would only help add to the difficulties faced by the students and teachers from the natural calamity-prone regions.
“The order, which was issued only nine days after the commencement of the latest academic year, does not take into account the social and economic situations of the students from poor families. If not withdrawn immediately, this will force several students having unsound financial backgrounds to give up education midway,” it added.