Min: Firm on State edu policy, won’t allow NEP in any form
MoU signed for Navodaya Schools in the state doesn’t mean TN has yielded to the Union government’s policies, says Anbil Mahesh
Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi going through a book after inaugurating stalls in Tiruchy
TIRUCHY: The Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Saturday said that the government is keen on implementing State Education Policy (SEP) and will never allow the National Education Policy (NEP) in any form.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating book stalls under Tamil Nadu Text Books Corporation, the minister said, the state government has been initiating all steps to remove education from the central list so as to implement the State Education Policy. “We will never allow politics in the domain of education as we are concerned about the future of the students”, he said.
Stating that the MoU signed for the Navodaya Schools will never mean that the state government has accepted the New Education Policy brought by the Union government, the minister reiterated his stand vis-à-vis NEP. The minister spoke about how the state government has initiated to inaugurate books stalls at several cities, in order to avoid people approaching DPI campus for the translated versions of various text books. “We are planning to inaugurate at least 100 book stalls across the state and ensure availability of books published by the Tamil Nadu Text Books Corporation”, the minister said.
Inaugurating the book stalls at Singarathope in Tiruchy, the minister reminded of how the first book stall was inaugurated at Higginbothams in Chennai on March 1. “Two such stalls were opened in Tiruchy which would be expanded to the other cities,” he added.
After forming the government, the DMK has implemented several schemes like ‘Thisaithorum Dravidam’, ‘Muthamizh Arignar Mozhipeyarppu thittam’, ‘Ilanthalir Ilakkiya Thittam’ and ‘Naalaya Thalaimuraikku Naattudamai Aakkapatta Noolgal’ to promote reading and encourage the youth get involved into translation and other literary activities. “Through these projects, we have published 340 books so far. Soon, we will reach the target of 600 books”, the minister said.
Tamil Nadu is in the forefront in translating medical books for which a MoU has been signed between the government and Elsevier publishing company, the minister said. “For the first time, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology having 1,200 pages has been translated into Tamil, which is available in the book stalls run by the text book corporation”, the minister said and urged the students to utilise them.