File report on availability of infrastructure in TN schools: HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu School Education Department to file a status report on August 27 explaining the infrastructure and facilities available in the public and private schools to enable students to get into physical activities along with academic progress.

The first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala passed the direction on hearing the petition filed by PR Subash Chandran of Madurai.

The petitioner, who claims to be a freelance journalist, sought direction from the bench to the State to frame a set of guidelines, rules, or procedures for the proper instruction of physical education in public and private schools with adequate infrastructure facilities for the physical education of school children including playground/gym, etc.

“It is shocking to understand that nearly 70 per cent of the rural and 80 per cent of the urban-based school children are the victims of malnutrition and obesity respectively. In other words, the education curriculum is ill-conceived where the scope of physical education is compromised and focused only on academic performance,” the petitioner said in his affidavit.

He further pointed out he had filed an application under RTI Act with various questions related to the functioning of the School Education Department and the same was rejected by the information officers.

Recording the submissions, the bench headed by the Chief Justice directed the State to file a detailed response about how many schools have the grounds and infrastructure for physical activities for school children in Tamil Nadu.