School sports meets should not be turned into mess

School sports festivals are the foundation of Kerala’s sporting success. Legendary athletes like PT Usha and Shiny Wilson began their journeys through these school meets. Every school sports meet turns into a celebration for the entire community, thanks to the enthusiastic support of students, sports teachers, parents, the public, and the media. Last year, the State School Sports Meet was held in an Olympic-style format, with all events organised at a single venue and participation extended to children with disabilities. The second edition of this state-level event is scheduled to begin in Thiruvananthapuram on October 21. Before that, competitions are held at the school, sub-district, and district levels. However, since the start of the sub-district meets, several complaints and disruptions have emerged.

The main reason behind the confusion is that physical education teachers (PETs) have boycotted event duties as a protest against the government’s failure to meet their demands. As a result, several sub-district meets in Thrissur, Malappuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode could not start or finish on time. Some were even postponed. In many places, events were conducted by teachers unfamiliar with the rules, leading to disputes and mismanagement. In Malappuram, a clash between teachers and students left one teacher injured. If such issues occur at the sub-district level itself, they are bound to affect district and state-level competitions, raising serious concerns about the smooth conduct of the upcoming state meet. The physical education teachers have boycotted the sports meets, demanding job protection and an end to pay discrimination.

The Joint Association of Physical Education Teachers has stated that while they will continue training students and accompanying them to competitions, they will not take part in organising the sports meets. To protect their posts, the teachers had earlier staged protests in front of the Secretariat. The rule that allowed the appointment of specialist physical education teachers only in UP schools with 500 students was revised to one teacher for every 300 students in 2017, following their protest. However, in 2023, the government changed the ratio back to 1:500, causing many teachers to lose their jobs. Their main demand is to restore the earlier rule. Although the government has agreed to this in discussions, the official order will take effect only from the 2025–26 academic year. As a result, those who lost their jobs in 2023 continue to remain unemployed. Many of them are now driving autorickshaws or working as daily wage workers to make a living. The association demands that the order be given retrospective effect from 2023, so that all those who lost their jobs can be reinstated into service.

This is the time when the need for sports education and participation is more than ever. Sports is the best way to bring the new generation that is trapped in the vicious cycle of drugs and other things back on track. Given the current situation, it has become imperative to appoint physical education teachers in every school, regardless of the number of students. Currently, there are no PET posts in LP (Lower Primary) and Higher Secondary schools in the state. They exist only in UP and High Schools. The teachers receive LP-level salaries while handling the sports activities and discipline of students up to the Higher Secondary level. Given the situation, the Education Minister, who is known as one of Kerala’s most capable sports organisers, must take urgent steps to resolve the issue. Kerala should aim to conduct its school sports meets in a way that becomes a model for the world.