Education Minister of Tamil Nadu, Anbil Mahesh, announces readiness of AIADMK to accept the central government's Two-Language Policy under Self-Financing Educational Institutions (SEP).
In a significant move, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recently unveiled the long-awaited Tamil Nadu State Education Policy (SEP) at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Kotturpuram, Chennai.
The SEP, drafted by a committee chaired by retired High Court Judge Justice D Murugesan and submitted in 2024, aims to educate all, with a focus on ensuring nobody is left out. It is unique to Tamil Nadu, framed according to the state's needs, and does not borrow a template from any state or country.
One of the key differences between the Tamil Nadu SEP and the National Education Policy (NEP) promoted by the Centre lies in the three-language policy and examination retakes.
Under the NEP, a three-language formula is mandated, which generally includes the regional language, Hindi, and English. However, Tamil Nadu's SEP rejects this formula entirely and retains a two-language policy, teaching only Tamil and English from classes I to X across all school boards.
Regarding examination retakes and student assessment, the SEP removes Class 11 board exams and disallows student detention till Class 8. Instead, supportive measures like bridge courses for struggling students are preferred over retakes or detention. On the other hand, the NEP provides for public exams at classes 3, 5, and 8 with re-exams available for students to ensure they pass.
Education Minister Anbil Mahesh has praised the SEP, stating that students from classes 1 to 8 in the SEP will not have to reappear if they fail in the examinations, unlike in the NEP. He also claimed that maybe the direction for a Union Minister to learn Hindi came from their boss.
The SEP also includes futuristic programs that discuss artificial intelligence and the integration of Kalvi TV and Manarkeni App. It emphasizes the need to teach rational thought in education and places importance on physical education being taught alongside studies.
The release of the Tamil Nadu SEP comes after months of protests against the NEP. The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the NEP, calling it "against social justice" and an attempt to impose Hindi on the state. Tamil Nadu has refused to implement the NEP.
Each household in Tamil Nadu is considered as a classroom under the SEP. The Tamil Nadu government has implemented a two-language policy under the SEP, discarding the Centre's three-language policy under the NEP. Under the three-language policy, students in Tamil Nadu would have potentially failed in Hindi and Sanskrit.
Anbil Mahesh took a jibe at AIADMK over the three-language policy, stating that they will give a "red carpet" to the Centre. This statement was in reference to the AIADMK's stance on the three-language policy, which is in line with the Centre's NEP.
In conclusion, the Tamil Nadu SEP distinctly diverges from the NEP by rejecting the mandated three-language model in favor of a bilingual Tamil-English instruction and altering examination policies to reduce early high-stakes testing and eliminate detentions/retakes up to Class 8.
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-government-to-submit-state-education-policy-to-centre-soon/article31415836.ece [2] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-education-policy-to-be-drafted-by-committee-headed-by-retired-hc-judge/article31271201.ece [3] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-education-policy-to-be-drafted-by-committee-headed-by-retired-hc-judge/article31271201.ece [4] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-education-policy-to-be-drafted-by-committee-headed-by-retired-hc-judge/article31271201.ece [5] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-education-policy-to-be-drafted-by-committee-headed-by-retired-hc-judge/article31271201.ece
In light of the distinct differences, the Tamil Nadu State Education Policy (SEP) contrasts with the National Education Policy (NEP) promoted by the Centre in aspects such as the three-language policy and examination retakes. The SEP adopts a unique, two-language policy, focusing on Tamil and English, which sets it apart from the three-language policy of the NEP.
The release of the Tamil Nadu SEP has come after months of protests against the NEP, with the Tamil Nadu government expressing opposition to the imposition of Hindi and refraining from implementing the NEP. The SEP's emphasis on artificial intelligence, Kalvi TV, and Manarkeni App, as well as the importance of rational thought, physical education, and supportive measures for struggling students, resonates with general news and politics in Tamil Nadu.
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