CHENNAI: The Department of School Education has allotted Rs 16 crore to pay special fees for the State-run schools operating English medium for the current 2025-26 academic year. Funds have been allotted as per the number of students enrolled in the English medium schools in each district.
The highest allocation has been given to Sivaganga – Rs 85.85 lakh, followed by Rs 71.82 lakh to Tirupur, Rs 67.72 lakh to Tiruvarur, and Rs 64.75 lakh to Chennai.
Students in State-run Tamil medium schools can avail free education at present. However, in 2008, the education department had passed an order exempting special fees and tuition fees for State-run Tamil medium schools, but highlighted on collecting tuition fees from parents who enrol their child in State-run English medium schools.
This decision was met with backlash from parents, educationalists and other stakeholders. Hence, the department has been bearing the cost of students studying in English medium schools every year.
“The government has been providing special fee compensation to schools since 2008-09 to compensate for the financial loss caused by the cancellation of special fees charged to students studying in Tamil/English medium schools from class 6-12 in government and aided schools,” stated the notification from the department,” said a department official. “Be it government/aided and English/Tamil mediums, the department bears the cost to encourage everyone to pursue school education.”