TN's Rs 19-crore initiative to enhance students’ proficiency in English, Tamil amid NEP row

The School Education Department in Tamil Nadu will be launching a Targeted Help for Improving Remediation & Academic Nurturing (THIRAN) initiative, with a budget of Rs 19 crore, to enhance proficiency in Tamil, English and Mathematics among 13 lakhs students enrolled in classes 6 to 8 in all the government schools.

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School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi announced in the state Assembly on Friday (April 25) that an initial fund of Rs 7 crore has also been allocated for the revision of the curriculum, syllabus and textbooks by the department. The revision of the syllabus aims to ensure students keep pace with the advancements in science and technology, acquire life skills, and have a comprehensive learning environment through innovative teaching methods.

Infra push in schools

In a step to improve the school education infrastructure in the state, 13 new primary schools will be opened, and the upgradation of four primary schools, 14 middle schools, and 20 high schools will be undertaken. The minister said that as many as 30 old library buildings will be reconstructed for the convenience of the readers and the toilet facility will be provided in 125 libraries at a cost of Rs 30 crore.

The department will also be providing professional skill development training to 1.25 lakh teachers to enhance student learning outcomes at an estimated cost of Rs 28 crore. Additionally, the training will also be provided to Tamil teachers working in private self-financing and other board schools at an estimated cost of Rs 4.94 lakh to improve their teaching skills.

POCSO awareness

The department will also be conducting POCSO Act awareness training for teachers and non-teaching staff in private self-financing schools at an estimated cost of Rs 4.94 lakh. To enhance the learning environment, furniture will be provided for smart classrooms in 6,478 government primary schools at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore.

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An initiative to enhance reading proficiency through effective use of school libraries will be launched in the schools. Various activities like storytelling sessions, reading challenges, book clubs, group discussions and themed reading weeks would be organised as part of the initiative. Additionally, to improve the overall life skills, value education modules will be introduced for all classes at an estimated cost of Rs 26 lakh.

Skill training

To provide skill training, 12,000 vocational stream students in government higher secondary schools will be trained through Industrial Training Institutes and State Skill Centres at an estimated cost of Rs 13 crore. Moreover, to improve the physical and mental health of 46,000 differently abled students in government schools, sports equipment and training would be provided at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. Teachers would also be trained through the District Institute of Education and Training in music and drama.

To promote Tamil literature across the globe, the poems of renowned poets Bharathiyar and Bharathidasan will be translated into 25 national and international languages at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore. The literary collections of Thanthai Periyar will be published at an estimated cost of Rs 50 lakh in five volumes over three years. Additionally, the books on the history of Tamil Nadu authored by renowned historians will be published at an estimated cost of Rs 30 lakh.

Rewarding merit

Further, the government schools and teachers will be honoured with certificates of appreciation for achieving 100 per cent results in the 10th and 12th standard board examinations. Moreover, the alumni from government schools who have achieved distinct recognition in their fields of work will be appointed as “School Ambassadors”.

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The government schools that achieve an increase in student enrolment by a minimum of 50 students from the previous year will be awarded certificates of appreciation. Students from private self-financing schools who excel in sports at international, national and state levels will also be recognised with certificates of appreciation and shields at an estimated cost of Rs 4.6 lakh. A special summer camp, “Kalaisirpi,” will be organised for 400 students who have won awards at the state-level Kalaithiruvizha competition.