Thiruvananthapuram, Tuesday 01 June 2010: Nearly four lakh children today entered the portals of schools in Kerala by joining in the first standard as the academic year began after the summer vacation.

The occasion was celebrated as “Pravesanotsavam” throughout the State with schools being decked up with flowers, ribbons, balloons and buntings to cheer up the children who made their way to the classrooms with their parents.

The state level inauguration of Pravesanotsavam was held at Azhikode School in Thiruvananthapuram. Chief minister VS Achuthanandan inaugurated the function.

Teachers welcomed the children offering sweets and their first day at school was all play and no work.

Addressing a gathering at a school here, Education Minister M. A. Baby said it would be ensured that all the children learnt Malayalam or their mother tongues like Tamil or Kannada in the border areas.

According to Baby, the State was truly proud of its achievements in education as it had already met most of the targets recently set as part of the “Right to Education Act.”