TN education system delivers, NEP disrupts, says Minister Anbil Mahesh

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Minister of Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi responding to the Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, stressed, “The TN's education system delivers, while National Education Policy (NEP) disrupts.”

Pradhan, taking to his official social media handle X, alleged that the DMK government agreed to implement PM School for Rising India (PM SHRI) in a letter dated March 15, 2024.

The union minister also accused the MPs and CM Stalin of lying and claimed the policymakers have a lot to answer to the people of Tamil Nadu.

However, responding to these claims and those subsequently made by Pradhan, Anbil stated that misinformation will not change facts and urged the union minister to not fix what isn't broken. He also noted that TN has consistently opposed NEP 2020.

Further, on Wednesday, Anbil on his handle said, "The attack on TN's stand on NEP and the language issue is not only misleading, it completely ignores a bigger picture. This is not just about the Tamil language; it's about an education system that has been tried, tested, and proven successful over decades."

Additionally, the minister also claimed that TN's model works.

"Our state board education system has consistently produced some of the best results in higher education and employment. The focus on concept-based learning rather than rote memorisation has empowered generations of students to excel in professional fields within India and abroad, "he added.

The minister noted that while 1.09 crore students in 58,779 schools pursue education in state syllabus, only 15.2 lakh students study in 1,635 CBSE schools.

Pointing to figures, Anbil questioned, "If there was a demand for learning a third language, as it is claimed by some, why do our people continue to choose state board schools?"

And, detailing the need for only two languages in TN, Anbil said that English will ensure students have global opportunities while maintaining their culture and identity, and Tamil will connect people to its roots, values and history.

Asserting TN students are already excelling in the bilingual foundation, the minister noted, "Unlike the imposition of a third language, this system allows students to master English for global outreach and Tamil for strong cultural ethos and values. Even in English medium schools, every student in TN studies Tamil as a subject and is proficient in it. Tamil for our pride and English as a world guide is our path to progress and equity."

Lastly, Anbil directed a question to Pradhan asking, "Why disrupt a system that works better than the NEP -- which is a one-size-fits-all model?"