Kerala School Education
There was phenomenal growth in school education infrastructure during the past 3 decades. Schooling has been conducted in three different stages - primary, secondary and higher secondary. In Kerala, there were 12,310 schools in 1999-2000 having 6726 lower primary (LP) schools, 2968 upper primary (UP) schools and 2580 high schools. Kerala schools posses better physical and basic facilities compared to those in other parts of India. 83% of schools are housed in proper buildings 84% of Government schools have drinking water facilities and 85% have urinals / latrine facilities.

DPEP
A centrally sponsored scheme, DPEP is a major multi - facted programme seeking to overhand and reconstruct primary education as a whole in selected educationally backward districts. Its emphasis is on decentralized planning and management as well as community participation. The programme was introduced in the districts of Malappuram, Wayanad and Kasargod in December 1994.

Primary Education
Primary Education consists of 2 levels, lower primary (Std I - IV) and Upper Primary (std V to VII). This comprises the biggest segment of the states education system. Almost every village has more than five primary schools. There are 6,726 lower primary and 2,968 upper primary schools. Of the primary schools 61.07% are private aided, 2.98% are private unaided and 35.95% are government schools.

Secondary Education
A substantial increase of secondary schools was found in Kerala, i.e.., during 1996-97 there were 2,580 secondary schools as against 895 in 1960-61. These include 975 Government schools (37.67%), 1,400 private aided schools (54.1%) and 213 private unaided schools (8.23%).

Higher Secondary Education
There are 931 higher secondary schools (HSS) of which 417 are in government sector, 506 in aided sector and 8 in unaided sector. The H.S.S intake increased from 20,092 in 1997 to 1,65,600 in 2000. Girl students constitutes 58%. In 1997-98 pre-degree courses in 26 Government colleges have been de linked and higher secondary courses have been sanctioned in 103 government schools.

Vocational Higher Secondary Education
It was formally introduced in Kerala at the higher secondary level (+2 stage) in 1983-84. There are 322 VHS School (231 Govt. & 91 Private) handling 814 schools of Vocational courses in 45 subjects. Subjects are related to agriculture ( livestock management and fisheries), health and paramedical service, business and commerce, home science and humanities and service sectors in engineering and technology. Clothing and embroidery, cosmetology and management of beauty parlours, creche-pre-school management are courses exclusively for girls.