Thiruvananthapuram: The government has announced Saturday as a holiday for the ITI trainees and a two-day menstrual leave for female trainees. This was announced on Thursday by education minister V Sivankutty who said the decision was taken considering the long-term needs of ITI trainees.
"In today's era, women are working in all sectors. There are women even in the skill-training trades, which are very demanding," he said.
Sivankutty said ITI trainees will get every Saturday as an off day, aside from Sunday and shifts will be rescheduled to avoid the loss of training time. The first shift is from 7.30 am to 3 pm while the second shift will be from 10 am to 5.30 pm.
He also informed that although Saturdays are off for trainees, those who need them can use these Saturdays for shop-floor training, short-term training courses, and other extracurricular activities.
Sivankutty said no child shall be excluded from study tours organised by schools for want of money. He has sought a report from the director of general education on steps to be followed to conduct study tours and celebrations in schools. The report will be submitted within a week.
"School excursion tours are now becoming pleasure trips. Many schools spend a huge amount on organising these trips. When students from economically backward sections cannot afford this, it causes emotional stress in them. The study tours shall be planned in such a way that it will have to be affordable for everyone," the minister said.
The parent-teacher association (PTA) committees and staff management committees shall bear the travel expense of teachers and PTA members who accompany students on study tours.
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