On September 5, 2022, the Chief Minister (CM) of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal unveiled 26 Schools of Excellence (SoE) and 15 model schools in Tamil Nadu (TN) during a function held at Bharathi Women’s College in Chennai, TN. These schools are set up by the TN government on the lines of Delhi’s model school.
- TN CM Muthuvel Karunanidhi (M.K.) Stalin was also present on the occasion.
- It should be noted that this was the first visit of Delhi CM to TN as the chief guest for the inauguration of a State government scheme.
Key Points:
i.In Tamil, SoE is called as ‘Thagaisal Palligal’, and Model School is named as ‘Mathiri Palligal’.
ii.In the initial phase, 26 schools run by Municipal Corporations will be elevated as SoEs at a cost of Rs 171 crore.25 schools run by Municipal Corporations would be elevated as Schools of Excellence in the first phase at a cost of Rs 171 crore.
iii.Classrooms in SoEs will be modernized and art, literature, music, dance, sports among others would be promoted among students.
iv.In the next four years, one classroom will be set in every TN school will be converted into ‘Smart Classroom ‘ at a cost of Rs 150 crore
v.On the other hand, model schools help students from government schools enter institutes of eminence to pursue professional courses in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Medicine).
Pudhumai Penn Thittam launched by TN CM
During the function, the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance scheme titled ‘Pudhumai Penn Thittam (modern women scheme)’ was also launched by the TN CM.
- Under this scheme, girl students, who studied from Class V to Class XII in state government schools would be paid a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 till they complete their graduation or diploma.
Other Highlights:
i.The CM’s Breakfast Scheme is proposed to be introduced in 112 government- and government-aided elementary schools (1 to 5 ) in government schools in Palacode block, Dharmapuri district, TN. It aims to cater to the nutritional deficit, physical growth deficit among students in government schools, who primarily hail from economically weaker sections of the society.
- The breakfast menu will include wheat rava with vegetable sambar on Mondays; Ragi puttu with palm jaggery and coconut milk on Tuesdays; Ven Pongal with vegetable sambar on Wednesdays; rice upma with vegetable sambar on Thursdays; rava kichdi and rava kesari on Fridays.
ii.The TN CM also allocated Rs 25 crore for Bharathi Women’s College for construction of classrooms and other infrastructure.
Recent Related News:
i.TN CM launched three Startup Tamil Nadu Regional Hubs in Madurai, Tirunelveli and Erode to enhance the reach of initiatives of the government to tier-II and tier-III regions.
ii.TN CM launched the Footwear & Leather Products Policy 2022 of TN at the Tamil Nadu Footwear and Leather Sector Conclave 2022 with the aim of making the state a preferred destination for the manufacturing of footwear and leather goods in Asia.
About Tamil Nadu (TN):
Governor– Ravindra Narayana Ravi
Tiger Reserves– Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Wetlands– Point Calimere, Kazhuveli, Pallikkaranai
