NewsIMTSUNICEF and the Kerala Government organised the first regional consultation on secondary education reforms for southern states on October 31, 2025. Officials, academics, teachers and students from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana participated in the event. They discussed making secondary education more accessible and improving its quality. Education Minister V Sivankutty highlighted Kerala's commitment to inclusive education. While India has achieved near-universal primary education, only 75% of adolescents aged 14-17 are enrolled in school nationally. South India exceeds the national average for enrolment, but learning outcomes remain low with grade 9 students scoring only 38-56% across subjects. From today until next week, participants will focus on four key areas: data-driven planning, expanding inclusive infrastructure, enhancing teacher capacity, and designing curriculum for 21st century skills. The consultation emphasized that whole-of-society partnerships are essential for achieving equal secondary education for all students. (Updated 31 Oct 2025, 20:22 IST; source: link)
UNICEF and Kerala Lead Education Reform Talks
UNICEF joined with the Kerala Government to host the first regional consultation on secondary education reforms for southern states on October 31, 2025. The meeting brought together officials, teachers, academics and students from five southern states – Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Education Minister V Sivankutty emphasized Kerala's commitment to inclusive education during the event. While India has achieved nearly universal primary education enrollment, secondary education faces challenges with only 75% of adolescents aged 14-17 attending school nationally. Though South India performs better than the national average, learning outcomes remain concerning, with grade 9 students scoring between 38-56% across subjects.
Four Key Areas for Improving Secondary Education
The regional consultation will run for several days, focusing on four critical aspects of secondary education reform. Participants will discuss data-driven planning to better understand enrollment patterns and learning gaps. They will also explore ways to expand inclusive infrastructure to accommodate more students. The meeting will address teacher capacity building to improve classroom instruction quality. Additionally, participants will examine curriculum design that prepares students for 21st century skills and future challenges. The consultation emphasized that achieving equal secondary education for all students requires partnerships across society, bringing together government agencies, schools, communities, and other stakeholders to create sustainable improvements.
Key Points
- UNICEF and the Kerala Government organised the first regional consultation on secondary education reforms for southern states on October 31, 2025.
- Education Minister V Sivankutty highlighted Kerala's commitment to inclusive education.
- While India has achieved near-universal primary education, only 75% of adolescents aged 14-17 are enrolled in school nationally.
