Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has introduced a special education program called Jyothi to help children of migrant workers stay in school. The aim is to stop these children from dropping out and to give them full access to school education across the State.
Speaking at a face-to-face event in Ernakulam on May 7, 2025, the Chief Minister said it is the State’s duty to make sure children of inter-State workers are not seen wandering the streets but are regularly attending school.
Under the Jyothi program, local self-government bodies will now keep a proper academic record of every migrant child. If a child is falling behind or missing school, officials will take steps to fix the problem. Teachers, local leaders, and school officials will work together to visit migrant homes and check on the children’s school attendance.
The Chief Minister stressed that education is a right that should be given to every child, no matter where they come from. He made it clear that all children living in Kerala must be able to go to school and get the help they need to succeed.
While talking about the larger achievements of the LDF government, Mr. Vijayan said that Kerala has made major improvements in many areas like health, education, industry, and farming. He also shared that three Kerala universities now rank among the top 12 in the country, and 16 of its colleges are listed in the top 100 nationally.
He highlighted growth in agriculture, noting that the area of paddy cultivation has increased from 1.7 lakh hectares in 2016 to 2.23 lakh hectares now. The State’s agricultural growth rate has also gone up from 2% to 4.6%.
Mr. Vijayan blamed the central government for not helping Kerala during floods and other disasters. He also said that the Centre had delayed payments and reduced the State’s borrowing limit, which created financial problems. However, he added that Kerala managed to keep moving forward by increasing its own revenue.
During the event, people from different parts of Ernakulam gave suggestions for improving their communities. The Chief Minister said these ideas would be considered when planning new development projects in the district.