UNICEF Report: Kerala Stands Out as a Beacon Compared to National Scene, Says Minister Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday said the state has once again emerged as a national model in child welfare and public education, registering the lowest school dropout rate in the country citing the findings in a latest UNICEF report.

Referring to “The State of the World’s Children 2025” report, the minister noted that while nearly 20 crore children in India continue to miss out on basic rights such as education, healthcare, nutrition, and clean water, Kerala stands apart with strong achievements in the social sector. He said the findings should be taken seriously at the national level.

Sivankutty said that at a time when the country faces serious concerns about disruptions in children’s education, almost every child who enters Class 1 in Kerala completes schooling up to Class 12 without interruption. This, he said, places the state far ahead of the national average.

He added that Kerala’s progress is the result of long-term, sustained government efforts. Programmes such as the Public Education Rejuvenation Mission and state-wide initiatives on children’s health and nutrition have strengthened the public education system.

The minister also said Kerala continues to be a model for other states in areas such as academic standards, infrastructure development, and gender equality in education. The UNICEF findings, he said, underline the need for urgent national action to protect children’s rights, as access to education, healthcare, and nutrition is vital for sustainable development. Kerala’s achievements, he said, should guide future policy decisions aimed at ensuring a safer and secure future for children.

UNICEF said on Thursday that India is on track to meet its Sustainable Development Goal of halving multidimensional poverty before 2030, but millions of children still face major gaps in essential services. According to the report, about 206 million children in India — nearly half the country’s child population — lack access to at least one of six key services: education, health, nutrition, housing, clean water, and sanitation.

Of these, 62 million children — less than one-third — are deprived of two or more services and continue to need urgent support, the report said.