Education, in its broadest sense, refers to the ways in which people learn skills and gain knowledge and understanding about the world, and about themselves.

Education in Kerala

Kerala was declared a 'Fully Literate State' in 1991 and is the only state in India where over 90% of the people can read and write, thanks to the free and compulsory education provided to all children up to the age of 14 years. Apart from this, the government is taking every possible step to improve the quality and standard of education.

School Education : In Kerala, School education is divided into 3 different stages, viz.,

• Primary
  • Lower Primary ( Classes I - IV )
  • Upper Primary ( Classes V - VII )
• Secondary
  • Secondary ( Classes VIII - X )
• Higher secondary
  • Higher Secondary ( Classes XI - XII )

Primary or Elementary Education : Is the basic stage in schooling. Primary is further divided into Upper Primary (UP) and Lower primary (LP). Apart from the the primary schools there are pre-primary institutions which include Anganvadis, Independent primary schools and other institutions attached to schools.

Secondary (High School) and Higher Secondary education : This serves as a bridge between the Elementary and Higher Education to prepare young persons of the age group of 14 to 18 for entry into higher education.

Vocational Schools : These were setup as part of the scheme of vocationalisation of secondary education and the scheme was implemented in 1988 and later revised in 1993. The main aim of implementation of such a course is to train the students for some occupation, business, profession or trade.

Higher Education : This refers to the education at college or university level and is divided into Graduation (Bachelor's degree) and Post-Graduation (Master's degree). With the colleges offering a wide variety of courses in various branches of study to choose from, the students are provided with ample opportunities to specialize in fields of their interest. All colleges in Kerala are affiliated to one of the seven Universities of the state.

Professional Education : With the introduction of the new educational policy by the state government, which enabled private colleges on Self-Financing basis, a number of colleges offering professional education commenced throughout the state. Admission to most of these colleges are based on the marks obtained in the entrance examinations. Self-Financing colleges offer 50% seats on merit basis and the rest in management quota.

Women's Education : The government is committed to bring about basic change in the status of women through education. Education helps in the emancipation of women and thereby improving their standard of living. Female literacy rate in Kerala is 87.7, which is higher than the rate in any other Indian state. Emphasis had been laid on enrolling and retention of girl in normal schooling and non-formal education.

Adult Education : This include both general (reading and writing) and vocational education, often through evening classes. Such classes are conducted throughout the state, especially in rural and tribal areas, by government organizations and voluntary associations.