Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to prepare guidelines to increase the number of playgrounds in every category of schools as well as to determine the necessary facilities around them. Justice Kunhikrishnan said that the right to education is the fundamental right of children. Education includes sports and other extra-curricular activities. If schools do not have suitable playgrounds for sports and games with adequate free space as per Kerala Education Rules (KER), the government should take strict action including closure of those schools.
According to a report by ‘Live Law’, the High Court also said that once the guidelines are issued, the education authorities should ensure that these guidelines are followed. Besides, instructions should also be given to close those schools which fail to follow the rules despite being given a lot of time. A writ regarding this was filed by the Parent-Teacher Association, in which the decision of the District Panchayat to build a rain water harvesting tank in the school premises was challenged.
The court held that the case had become moot as the proposal to build a water tank had been cancelled. But it highlighted the important role of playgrounds in schools. It pointed to the Kerala Education Rules which state that ‘every school should have a suitable playground for games and sports’. Also, there should be enough free space for this. The court said that the authorities are taking advantage of the lacunae in the specific guidelines issued under the Kerala Education Rules and are not maintaining a suitable playground with adequate free space for games and sports.
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The Kerala High Court directed that these guidelines are to be prepared within four months from the date of the judgment. The High Court said that ‘school playgrounds are an essential part of a child’s learning environment and provide a safe and fun place to play. Playgrounds can help children develop their physical, social, emotional and imaginative skills. Education should not be limited to classrooms and extra-curricular activities like sports and games should also be a part of the education curriculum.’
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Tags: Educationschool, Kerala High Court, Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram News
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 14, 2024, 18:15 IST