CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has refuted the claims made by PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss that State government teachers are forced to collect donations under the ‘Namma School Namma Ooru Palli’ (NSNOP) initiative.
The statement from the department further said, "These claims distort the very purpose and functioning of the scheme, which is built on voluntary community participation and transparent corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions."
"Importantly, no government official, school head or teacher has been assigned or authorised to collect funds or donations. Their role is purely administrative and facilitative—identifying the needs of their respective schools in consultation with the School Management Committee (SMC) and entering those requirements into the TNSED parent app. The contributions are then matched and fulfilled by voluntary donors through the NSNOP portal, "the statement added.
Contrary to unfounded allegations about inadequate government funding, the budgetary allocation for School Education has risen by 43.5 per cent over the last four years — from Rs 32,599.54 crore in 2021–22 to Rs 46,767 crore in 2025–26.
"The NSNOP initiative is not a substitute for government funding but a collaborative model—a bridge that connects communities, corporates, and alumni with schools they care about. It symbolises partnership, not compulsion; empowerment, not exploitation, "the department statement clarified.
Meanwhile, on Monday, CM Stalin also reacted to the allegations and pointed out that under the NSNOP scheme, the TN government has so far received Rs 1,000 crore.
The CM further stated that the budget allocation of the school education department is Rs 46,767 crore this year, which shows the importance the Dravidian model government extends to education.
NSNOP was started with just a Rs 5 lakh donation, and now reaching Rs 1,000 crore.
"Through this fund, we have set up a slew of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) laboratories, smart classrooms, modern toilets, skill training, among others, in government schools. I thank 885 organisations and 1,500 donors for their contributions," CM added.