CHENNAI: For the welfare of teachers in Tamil Nadu, the School Education Department will be supplying tablets and perform full body check-ups in the current academic year (2024-25).

To keep government school teachers on par with technology, Chief Minister Stalin, as a part of teachers’ welfare scheme, had announced that Secondary-Grade Teachers (SGTs) and graduate teachers will be given tablets.

This goal of this initiative was also to honour the teaching community and enable teachers to further upgrade their skills in tune with the emerging technological development in teaching and learning methodologies.

In the first phase, 79,723 tablets were distributed to teachers through the Tamil Nadu Text Book and Educational Service Corporation. In the second phase, 55,478 tablets will be procured and provided to the teachers, noted the education department.

Likewise, another welfare scheme for teachers was the master health check-up. As per the announcement, the master health check-up for teachers will be done once in 3 years. The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner, said the department.

In the first phase (the current academic year), 35,600 teachers who are above 50 years of age will benefit under this scheme. It is to be noted that both schemes are applicable for teachers in government schools only, and not aided schools.

Another scheme focused solely on teachers is the ‘Kanavu Aasiriyar’ Award. Teachers are selected for this award based on their subject knowledge, teaching techniques, and student development activities through a 3-stage exam.

In 2023-24, as many as 380 teachers were honoured with the award and certificate by the department. Interestingly, 55 teachers who secured more than 90% in these exams were taken on an educational tour to Finland and Sweden, which excel in education, art, technology, tradition and culture. This initiative will continue this year.