Teach Tamil in CBSE, ICSE schools, PMK tells govt

CHENNAI: While warning protests in front of schools that refuse to teach Tamil, PMK founder S Ramadoss has urged the State government to take measures to ensure Tamil compulsory in other board schools (CBSE and ICSE) and release a white paper on implementation of a government order pertaining to the issue.

In a statement, the senior PMK leader said that the government issued an order in 2014 mandating Tamil upto Class 9 in schools that follow other boards. Directorate of Private Schools has issued an instruction to follow the order and conduct exams.

“PMK had conducted several movements against not taking efforts to implement mandatory Tamil order. Due to which Jayalalithaa issued order to mandate Tamil in other board schools. PMK is concerned that the failure to implement mandatory Tamil in State board schools should not occur in implementing the order in other schools,” he said.

He noted that private schools with State board syllabus received exemption from writing Tamil in public exam from High Court by arguing that they do not have facility to teach Tamil. “The government should ensure the same does not happen in the other board schools. It is good that an announcement has been made to conduct Tamil exams for Class 9 and 10 in other board exams. The government should release a white paper on the schools that taught Tamil, “ he urged.

He demanded the government to ensure Tamil in all schools with state board syllabus as a case pertaining to the issue is coming up for hearing in Supreme Court.