Keralam CM Rejects Demand for Lower Teacher-Student Ratio Amid Financial Constraints, ETEducation

Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan said that the government was unable to accept the agitating LPST rank holders‘ demand for a lower teacher-student ratio because of financial constraints.Explaining the position, Satheesan said reducing the ratio would require creating additional posts in the LPST (lower primary school teacher) category, with corresponding changes in other categories. The government would have to implement the same proportionately in aided schools, which it could not afford at present.“The present financial position of the government does not permit us to do this. We have deferred the demand to a more favourable time. We have not denied their aspirations but only explained our limitations,” he said.Satheesan said the government had held eight rounds of discussions with the rank holders, who have been agitating in front of the Secretariat for the past 120 days.He said the government had accepted the other demands but had made it clear that the demand to reduce the teacher-student ratio to 1:25 could not be met at present. The previous government had conveyed the same position to the protesters, he added.The rank holders are demanding appointment orders for all eligible candidates on the LPST rank list before it expires, transfer of appointments to aided-school teaching posts to the PSC, an end to alleged cash-for-job practices in recruitment, and a reduction of the teacher-student ratio to 1:25.“Whatever they say about the Education Minister or me, we have no objection. The government is still ready to hold discussions with them. We have no rigidity towards the protesters,” CM added.