Latest news with #SKMMA
India Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Kerala Muslim body to protest state's move to extend school hours
Prominent Muslim body in Kerala, Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, through its affiliate Samastha Kerala Madrassa Management Association (SKMMA), has announced a series of protests against the Kerala government's decision to increase school working organisation argues that the revised schedule will severely impact madrassa education, which is attended by around 1.2 million Muslim students in the protest is in response to the government's recent order extending school hours for Classes 8 to 10 by 30 minutes daily in all government, aided, and unaided schools following the state syllabus. The extended time —15 minutes added each in the morning and afternoon sessions (except Fridays) — is aimed at achieving 220 working days and 1,100 instructional hours as mandated by the Right to Education Act and the Kerala Education Samastha contends that madrassa classes, usually held in the mornings before regular school, will be disrupted. It views religious education as mandatory and asserts that the new schedule cuts into this critical plan to hold district-level conventions against the government by July 22, then regional-level protests would be held by July 25. On August 5, they will be having a march to the Collectorate and on September 30, they plan a march to the State Secretariat.- Ends
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Samastha to launch statewide protests
Kozhikode: Samastha Kerala madrassa management association (SKMMA), which oversees the functioning of madrassas under the influential Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, has announced public protests over revision of school timings, claiming that the additional working period in schools would affect madrassa education. SKMMA would hold dharnas outside district collectorates on Aug 5 and would also take out a march to Secretariat on Sept 30. Ahead of these protests, district-level conventions will be completed by July 20, and range-level conventions by July 25. Mahal-level conventions will be held before Sept 30. M T Abdulla Musaliyar, general secretary of Samastha Kerala Islam matha vidyabhyasa board, said that for Muslims, religious education is mandatory and added that it was not possible to cut short the Madrassa hours. He said that the govt could have easily arranged the school timings in such a way that it did not interfere in Madrassa learning. IUML MP Haris Beeran said that the govt appears to be examining ways to undermine the religious beliefs of believers. TNN
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Samastha affiliate planning protests against additional working hours in schools
The Samastha Kerala Management Association (SKMMA) is planning to stage 'dharnas' outside district collectorates on August 5 and take out a march to the Secretariat on September 30 against the additional working hours in aided, government, and recognised unaided schools that follow State syllabus. Functionaries of the SKMMA, an affiliate organisation of the Sunni scholars' forum Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, declared their plans at a convention here on Thursday. M.T. Abdulla Musliyar, general secretary, Samastha Kerala Islam Religious Education Board, said that religious education was important for believers. The State government had no business in meddling with it. No talks were held before increasing the school hours. He claimed that the government could have rearranged the working hours in schools without tampering with the working schedule of 'madrasas', which cannot be changed. Mr. Musliyar said that the SKMMA would hold district-level conventions against the government by July 20 and protest events would be held at the regional level by July 25. 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. E. Moideen Faizy Puthanazhi, general secretary, SKMMA, alleged that the government had not bothered to address the concerns raised by the Samastha in a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by its president Syed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal. 'The government implemented the new timings based on a High Court order. The court, however, has not specifically said anything about the additional hours. There are other ways to ensue 220 working days and 1,100 working hours in high school classes. For that, the government should first hold talks,' he added. Haris Beeran, Rajya Sabha MP of the Indian Union Muslim League, alleged that the State government had been deliberately trying to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims. 'No efforts are being made to arrive at a consensus. A similar approach was seen even in launching Zumba sessions in schools. There are attempts to introduce neo-liberal thoughts and an aversion to religion,' he added. Panakkad Syed Hameedali Shihab Thangal, treasurer, SKMMA, inaugurated the convention.
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Samastha affiliate plans stir against additional school hours in Kerala
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.
