Government will strive to provide educational loans at low interest rate: Antony

The government will take efforts to provide education loans at low interest rate, said Defence Minister A K Antony.

He was speaking at the Prathibha Sangamam organised by the Gandhiji Study Centre on Saturday to felicitate students who scored full marks in the last higher secondary exams.

Antony observed that the state had witnessed high growth in the education sector. “Kerala is also way ahead in providing quality education to girls. In several competitive examinations, girls outsmart boys which is admirable,” he said.

The Defence Minister said that it was imperative to provide job opportunities to students who pass out from colleges. “The State Government should work for the same by developing industries, agriculture and health sectors,” he said. “If the students are not getting sufficient job opportunities, their curse will befall on administrators which should be avoided,” he said.

Water Resources Minister and Gandhiji Study Centre chairman P J Joseph said that the banks were not following government directives on providing education loans.  He also said that the state should lay focus on garbage composting and rain water harvesting.  Finance Minister K M Mani exhorted the meritorious students to maintain high standards throughout their education life. “The world is witnessing competition in every sector where academic brilliance has high value,” he observed. The Defence Minister distributed certificates, mementos and laptops to meritorious students.

He also honoured Fr Varkey Attupuram, the principal of St Mary’s School, Pattom, where the maximum number of students sat for HSS examinations last year.  Shashi Tharoor MP, Health Minister V S Sivakumar, Agni-V project director Dr Tessy Thomas spoke.