PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday said the Central government should not withhold ₹573 crore allotted to Tamil Nadu under the Integrated Education Scheme for not opening PM-SHRI schools or not implementing the three language policy, the 5+3+3+4 education system instead of 10+2+3 system currently followed in Tamil Nadu, not introducing vocational education and other aspects of National Education Policy.
In a statement, Dr. Anbumani said the Integrated Education Scheme and PM-SHRI school schemes are separate programmes and it was unjust of the Central government to withhold funds because the State government has refused to implement the scheme.
“There is no obligation for State governments to accept the Central government’s new education policy. The State governments have the authority to formulate their own education policies. Therefore, withholding funds under the Integrated Education Scheme by citing the new education policy and the PM-SHRI schools is unjust,” he said.
Dr. Anbumani said Tamil Nadu is now faced with a situation in which it may not be able to pay salaries to 15,000 teachers starting next month and fund teacher training, self-defence training for female students, and payments to private schools under the Right to Education Act.
“The Tamil Nadu government, which claims to protect the State’s rights, has taken no action to secure the withheld funds. Even in the recently-concluded Parliament session, DMK and alliance members did not speak up about this issue. Tamil Nadu can never accept the three-language policy or the idea of conducting public exams for 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades. The Central government should release the funds due without any conditions. The Tamil Nadu government should exert the necessary political and legal pressure to obtain these funds,” he said.
