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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin unveiled the State Education Policy (SEP) on August 8. The SEP reiterates the state’s two-language policy. The move is in direct opposition to the Union government’s National Education Policy (NEP), seen in Tamil Nadu as an indirect means to impose Hindi.
The SEP includes changes to the curriculum and aims to improve enrolment and learning outcomes, reducing dropout rates, increasing digital literacy, and a higher focus on sports and arts.
Learning outcomes
The SEP identifies Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLN) as the “single most urgent, non-negotiable priority for foundational stage reform”.
In this regard, the SEP notes lower learning outcomes in some rural, tribal, and socio-economically disadvantaged areas. The policy also says that competency in arithmetic beyond simple addition and subtraction is required.
The SEP aims for age-appropriate reading, writing, and arithmetic skills for students in classes 1–3. The state government’s Ennum Ezhuthum Mission is to be scaled up to accomplish this. Children in classes 4 and 5 who require additional support will be included in the mission through remedial programmes.
The SEP instructs schools to identify vulnerable students and provide special learning programmes, mentoring initiatives, and scholarships for first-generation learners, for students from tribal communities and for girls in secondary and higher secondary schools.
Disability access is to be improved through the provision of ramps, assistive learning devices and tactile tiling. Sign language instruction is also to be made available.
Enrolment and dropout rates
The SEP aims for near-universal enrolment, a reduction in dropout rates, and strong welfare schemes to combat digital divides and post-COVID learning gaps.
The SEP notes a lower Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in students from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and minority backgrounds in certain districts.
Disaggregated data on enrolment, learning outcomes, and dropouts by gender, caste, disability, and socio-economic status are to be integrated into the state’s Education Management Information System (EMIS).
Students who drop out after class 10 due to poverty or early marriage are to be tracked down through community mobilisation and data collection. Career guidance services are to be extended to middle school students.
Changes in curriculum
The curriculum is to be redesigned with the aim of ensuring conceptual understanding and improving critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, financial literacy, climate education, and health and safety awareness. The curriculum must address issues of social and gender inequality.
The curriculum must provide critical perspectives on caste, gender and disability and promote social justice.
Students are to be taught about local heritage, progressive social movements and the state’s socio-cultural and linguistic diversity.
Bilingual programmes are to be provided for students from tribal and migrant backgrounds.
Sports-integrated learning is to be provided. Art education is to be made mandatory.
The SEP emphasises a ‘STEAM approach’, referring to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
Other aims
Board exams will be retained for Classes 10 and 12. Class 11 is to be treated only as a transitionary year to reduce exam-related stress.
Schools are to shift from assessments based on rote learning to ensuring conceptual understanding. Students’ academic growth throughout the year is to be the basis for promotion rather than end-of-year examinations.
The SEP also says that gender sensitivity will be prioritised with leadership training in schools for girls and ensuring menstrual hygiene measures.
Teachers are to be provided training for working with students from vulnerable communities. The SEP also mandates teacher training to identify and have zero tolerance for discriminatory behaviour among students.
The SEP further mandates infrastructure improvement in schools with regard to climate and disaster risks.