Chennai: Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Rajmohan on Tuesday categorically stated that there will be no indirect attempts to implement the Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state. Addressing mediapersons, he criticized the central government's practice of withholding funds over the state's refusal to adopt the scheme, asserting that such funds are meant for students and not for government officials.
Minister's Strong Stance on Fund Withholding
Rajmohan expressed strong disapproval of the Centre's decision to withhold funds due to non-implementation of PM SHRI in Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that these financial resources are intended for the welfare of students and should not be used as a tool for coercion. "Withholding funds is unacceptable. Tamil Nadu will not bow to such pressure," he declared, reinforcing the state's resolve to maintain its autonomy in educational matters.
Assessment of PM SHRI Policies
The minister's remarks came a day after he indicated that the state government would need to evaluate whether the policies of PM SHRI align with the educational goals of Tamil Nadu. This assessment reflects the state's cautious approach towards central schemes that may conflict with its established educational framework.
Firm Commitment to Two-Language Policy
Reiterating Tamil Nadu's steadfast position on the two-language policy, Rajmohan ruled out any ideological compromise. Drawing a parallel with Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew, he highlighted the importance of mother tongue and English as the medium of instruction. "TVK stands firm on the two-language policy of mother tongue and English. Even Lee Kuan Yew developed Singapore from scratch and used only English to reach out to the world," he added, underscoring the policy's effectiveness in global communication.
Focus on Improving School Basics
As part of his initial work in the department, Rajmohan outlined plans to enhance basic facilities in schools. He announced measures to ensure proper maintenance of toilets in government schools, provide access to clean drinking water, and upgrade classroom infrastructure. Additionally, he emphasized the need to increase student enrollments in government schools, which currently have higher numbers of institutions but lower student strength compared to private schools. "This will be corrected," he affirmed.
Distribution of Training Materials
Earlier in the day, the minister distributed handbooks and teacher training materials for classes I-III to 200 state-level trainers. These trainers are scheduled to travel to various districts across the state to train primary teachers in effective teaching methodologies. The Department of School Education has released nine textbooks and 3.24 lakh handbooks for teachers of classes I-III, as confirmed by the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education and School Education Corporation (TNTESC).
