Thiruvananthapuram, June 1 (IANS) Close to five million students across Kerala marched back to classrooms on Monday as schools reopened after the annual two-month summer vacation.

The reopening of schools, traditionally one of Kerala’s most celebrated public events, also offered one of the first major people-centric occasions for the new government led by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the state-level school reopening function at the Government Model Girls Higher Secondary School at Pattom in the state capital, formally ushering in the new academic year.

New State Education Minister N. Shamsudin arrived before Satheesan came and was seen distributing sweets and took his seat with the tiny tots.

Unlike the festival-like atmosphere that marked school reopening days during the tenure of the previous Left Democratic Front government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan, this year’s Praveshanolsavam was deliberately low-key.

The government opted for modest celebrations, focusing instead on academic preparedness and student welfare.

Yet the day lost none of its emotional appeal. Across Kerala, social media platforms were flooded with photographs and videos of children in freshly ironed uniforms, proudly carrying new school bags and water bottles.

Parents shared first-day-of-school pictures of their children, while grandparents posted nostalgic messages and photographs of grandchildren setting off for classrooms.

The phenomenon, which has grown rapidly in recent years with the spread of smartphones and social media, has transformed school reopening day into a virtual statewide family album, blending nostalgia with celebration.

Over three lakh children are entering schools for the first time this year, adding to the excitement surrounding the reopening.

Education authorities said all preparations, including the distribution of textbooks and learning materials, had been completed well in advance.

The reopening also comes amid discussion over the government’s recent decisions on education reforms, including the proposal for menstrual leave for girl students and measures aimed at making schools more inclusive.

Hovering over the celebrations, however, was the looming arrival of the southwest monsoon.

With the India Meteorological Department forecasting heavy rainfall across several districts and issuing weather alerts, many parents began the academic year with one eye on the classroom and the other on the darkening skies.

For Kerala, Monday marked not merely the reopening of schools, but the return of familiar rhythms that define the state’s social calendar — children back in classrooms, families sharing proud moments, and the monsoon waiting just beyond the horizon.

–IANS

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