Academicians moot SEP to save state-funded institutes

In a state-level convention —“Evolution of State Education Policy”, several forums, including State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), under one umbrella, have passed various resolutions demanding the government to evolve a “State Education Policy” that will address the educational needs of the people and will provide equitable access to quality education from school to university. 

Accordingly, the convention also demanded that the state government should constitute an Education Commission to come out with a separate State Education Policy (SEP). 

The convention appealed to the Chief Minister of the state, who will be heading the new government, to ensure that the first signature on assuming office should be to constitute an Education Commission for evolving SEP. 

The convention demanded that the state should undertake all measures at the earliest to initiate the process to bring education back to state list from the concurrent list with all powers to the state legislature to enact laws in subjects concerning school, higher education that includes professional, technical and research,” another resolution read. 

Claiming that NEP throws various challenges for state-funded educational institutes and provides a roadmap for commercialization of education, the meeting also said “education is in the concurrent list and not in the union list. Incorporation, regulation, and winding up of Universities are on the state list. Accordingly, the state legislature has the exclusive rights to enact a law under this subject.” 

The convention also pointed out that the Centre announced Education Policy in 1968 which introduced 10 + 2 + 3 systems of education. After 10 year of schooling, the higher secondary course was introduced in colleges or separate junior colleges in various states. Tamil Nadu placed Plus-2 in school education and upgraded high schools as higher secondary schools, thus making it convenient for all those who passed the Class X board exam to join the higher secondary courses. Such measure helped the state to achieve a 50 per cent gross enrollment ratio in higher education in 2020, nearly double the all India average. 

“These historical facts need to be carefully considered while evolving education policy,” it added.