logo
Samastha affiliate plans stir against additional school hours in Kerala

Samastha affiliate plans stir against additional school hours in Kerala

The Hindu08-07-2025
The Samastha Kerala Madrasa Management Association (SKMMA), an affiliate organisation of the Sunni scholars' forum Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama which runs madrasas, has announced that it will launch an agitation against the Left Democratic Front government's 'unilateral' decision to increase the working hours of aided, government, and recognised unaided schools that follow State syllabus.
Association office-bearers told the media here on Tuesday that the future course of action would be declared at a public convention to be held at the Kozhikode Town Hall at 10 a.m. on July 10.
The working hours for Classes VIII to X in these schools have been increased by 30 minutes in total — 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon — on all days except Fridays. This is to realise the target of 220 working days and 1,100 instructional hours for Class VIII as per the Right to Education Act and for Classes IX and X as per the Kerala Education Rules.
Moideen Faizy Puthanazhi, general secretary, SKMMA, claimed that the additional working hours would affect the functioning of the madrasas, which run their classes for two-and-a-half hours in the morning from 6.30 a.m. or 7 a.m.
High school students who attend madrasa classes would find it difficult to reach their schools on time, he claimed. Mr. Puthanazhi alleged that though the Samastha functionaries, including its president Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan soon after the government expressed its intention to increase the working hours in schools, their concerns were ignored.
'Government officials are claiming that the additional hours are only for high school students. However, many government schools in Kerala have upper primary and lower primary sections as well. Their classes start at the same time. So, the justification is not acceptable,' he said.
Asked if they had any alternatives to suggest, K. Moyinkutty, manager, SKMMA, said that the government should first call them for talks. 'They can think of utilising Saturdays as working days or use some days during the two-month vacation period as working days,' he added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

OPS condemns centre for withholding Tamil Nadu's Samagra Shiksha funds
OPS condemns centre for withholding Tamil Nadu's Samagra Shiksha funds

New Indian Express

time18 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

OPS condemns centre for withholding Tamil Nadu's Samagra Shiksha funds

CHENNAI: Amid speculations about his exit from the NDA, former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday strongly condemned the Narendra Modi government at the centre for failing to release the Samagra Shiksha (SS) funds to Tamil Nadu. In a statement, Panneerselvam said the delay in the release of funds is affecting students from BCs, MBCs, and SC/STs, as well as teachers. The centre should release the funds immediately, he demanded. 'Accepting the conditions for Samagra Shiksha funds is an issue between the central and state governments. But the centre's refusal to release the funds has adversely affected the education of innocent, underprivileged students and the livelihood of teachers. This deserves strong condemnation. Such an action by the centre is against both the Right to Education Act and the principles of federalism,' Panneerselvam said. Meanwhile, Panneerselvam has convened a meeting of the office-bearers of the AIADMK Cadres Rights Retrieval Committee in Chennai on Wednesday to chalk out the next course of action since he has been ignored by the NDA. Panruti S Ramachandran, advisor to the committee, has almost indicated that Panneerselvam is disillusioned with the NDA.

Tweet Gone, But Grand Mufti Stands By His Claim: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's Death Sentence Waived, Victim's Family Nod Awaited
Tweet Gone, But Grand Mufti Stands By His Claim: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's Death Sentence Waived, Victim's Family Nod Awaited

India.com

time3 hours ago

  • India.com

Tweet Gone, But Grand Mufti Stands By His Claim: Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya's Death Sentence Waived, Victim's Family Nod Awaited

Thiruvananthapuram: Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, a Sunni grand mufti from Kerala, has stood by his claim that Yemeni authorities have agreed to waive the death sentence of Nimisha Priya, the Indian nurse convicted of murdering a Yemeni national in 2017. Made through a now-missing post on social media, the assertion has stirred cautious optimism as well as skepticism across diplomatic and public circles. Kanthapuram had shared the development in a tweet on Monday evening, claiming that following intense negotiations with Yemeni religious leaders and intermediaries, Nimisha's execution had been officially called off. The post was later deleted, but not by him, according to those close to the cleric. They say it disappeared after ANI itself took down its original report. Religious Channels Over Diplomatic Ones Kanthapuram's claim hinges on the influence of Yemen's religious clergy. According to his office, a delegation of Islamic scholars aligned with the powerful Hadhramaut-based cleric Habib Umar bin Hafiz played a key role in lobbying Houthi-led authorities in Northern Yemen. The message conveyed was one of mercy, allowing the possibility of diyya (blood money) or life imprisonment, rather than execution. He said in his statement, 'The Yemeni authorities have accepted our intervention in the matter. This is a great humanitarian step. The final decision now rests with the family of the deceased.' Though there is no official confirmation yet from Sanaa, the cleric's followers in Kerala and parts of the Gulf have shared the statement widely, hoping it signals a turning point in a high-stakes case that has gripped Malayali and human rights circles for years. Execution Was Due July 16 Nimisha Priya, a trained nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, was sentenced to death for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. The killing took place in 2017 after a protracted period of alleged abuse, passport confiscation and reported threats. Nimisha claimed she acted in desperation, trying to escape back to India with her daughter. Earlier this month, her execution, which was scheduled for July 16, was postponed. Indian officials had attributed the delay to behind-the-scenes diplomatic intervention, particularly through humanitarian and consular channels. However, Kanthapuram's camp insists that religious diplomacy may have played a greater role. His emissaries have reportedly been in direct contact with spiritual leaders in Yemen who, in turn, liaised with political actors in the Houthi-controlled capital. A Yemeni Confirmation, Of Sorts Adding weight to Kanthapuram's claim was a Facebook post by Sarhan Shamsan Al Wiswabi, a Yemeni rights activist and spokesperson for Talal's family. In his post, Al Wiswabi acknowledged that religious leaders had 'succeeded in freezing the execution order' and that a 'legal shift toward alternative punishment, life sentence or pardon, was underway'. However, he reiterated that any clemency or sentence reduction ultimately depends on the will of the victim's family. Under Yemen's Sharia-based legal system, the family of the deceased has the right to reject or accept diyya. What Happens Next? The next step is likely a series of delicate negotiations with the Mahdi family. If they agree to accept diyya, Nimisha could either be spared execution and released after compensation or her sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment. Reports from Yemen suggest that tribal elders and religious authorities are still involved in trying to persuade the family to accept clemency. There has been no comment so far from official Yemeni legal authorities, nor from India's Ministry of External Affairs. Back in Kerala, a Divided Response While Kanthapuram's statement has been welcomed by supporters of the 'Save Nimisha Priya' campaign, public reaction across Kerala remains sharply divided. On one hand are those who see her as a victim of exploitation and injustice, caught in a brutal system. On the other, particularly in online forums, many argue that justice must also consider the victim's family and that mercy should not override murder. Some social media users from Kerala even left messages on Arabic posts asking the Mahdi family not to accept diyya, urging them to 'stand firm'. No Retraction, Says Cleric's Office Addressing questions about the deleted tweet, Kanthapuram's aides clarified that there was no change in his position. 'The tweet disappeared because the original ANI post was deleted. But Kanthapuram Musliyar stands by his words. The execution has been halted. The sentence has been waived. What remains is the family's decision,' a senior aide told reporters. Awaiting Official Word Despite the hopeful tone of Kanthapuram's message, the Indian government has not issued any official confirmation. A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the cleric's claim but reiterated that India continues to pursue 'all appropriate diplomatic avenues' for the safe return of its citizens. Whether the waiver claim holds and whether it translates into clemency for Nimisha now rests on two uncertain fronts – the silent bureaucracy of Houthi-controlled Yemen and the heart of one grieving family.

Confusion prevails over Nimisha's death sentence revocation
Confusion prevails over Nimisha's death sentence revocation

Time of India

time5 hours ago

  • Time of India

Confusion prevails over Nimisha's death sentence revocation

Kochi: Confusion prevails over the revocation of death sentence of Keralite nurse Nimisha Priya, who is now in Sana'a prison in Yemen on death row for the murder of Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi. The office of Sunni leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar had on Monday claimed that Nimisha's death sentence was revoked following mediation talks between Yemeni religious scholars and govt officials. However, Talal's brother Abdul Fattah Mahdi rejected the claim on Tuesday. External affairs ministry (MEA) of India too didn't verify reports of death sentence cancellation. Samuel Jerome, who holds the power of attorney for Nimisha's mother Prema Kumari, also denied reports regarding Nimisha's death sentence cancellation. "I personally verified with jail authorities and officials from the public prosecutor's office. It is completely false to claim that the execution was overturned," said Jerome in a social media post. He added that Fattah submitted an official request to govt to proceed with the execution in accordance with Yemeni law. When Kanthapuram's office on Tuesday maintained that an agreement was reached to revoke the death sentence, Fattah asked the office to clarify which party communicated with Talal's family and who contacted the blood heirs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Emergency Generators in Guatemala City: (Prices May Surprise You) Emergency Generator | Search Ads Search Now Undo "I do not believe that the preacher's (Kanthapuram's) office would issue such statements unless someone provided them with false information that we accepted reconciliation and that the death sentence was cancelled, which is absolutely untrue. The Yemeni constitution and judicial system are based on our just Islamic law. Respecting court rulings issued against the murderer is a duty that must not be neglected. Respecting the blood heirs, acknowledging their suffering and their right to implement God's law is also a duty, as ensuring the execution of rights is one of the most sacred meanings of justice and its deepest implications," says Fattah in a Facebook post. Nimisha, a native of Kollengode in Palakkad, was accused of murdering Talal — with whom she started a health clinic in Sana'a and later reportedly entered into a marriage — in July 2017. A trial court sentenced her to death in 2018, a verdict later upheld by an appeals court. Though her execution was scheduled for July 16, it was postponed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store