Government-aided schools to teach courses in English

In its order, the School Education Department said that government-aided schools have played a vital role in giving quality education to the students in the state. However, in recent years, the student enrolment had come down in those schools since parents are keen on admitting their children private schools that offer education in the medium of English. The order noted that if English medium is extended to the aided schools, the student’s strength would increase in the coming years and the students will also be benefited from the move. 

“In view of this, the government has decided to introduce a separate English medium section in government aided schools,” the order stated. It also said that no extra fees will be collected from the students who opt for English-medium education and that existing teachers in the government-aided schools will be trained regularly to teach the students in English. The order also noted that schools must also ensure that proper infrastructure and facilities are available for the introduction of English-medium education. In Tamil Nadu, there are about 8,000 government-aided schools, which provide education to more than three lakh students. 

Though the State government had introduced English-medium sections in government schools in the year 2012-13, it was not extended to the government-aided institutions. A senior official from the School Education Department said that the enrolment in the English medium sections has increased considerably in government schools. In 2017-18, more than 6.2 lakh children have enrolled in the English medium sections in 12,738 government schools across the state. Recently, acting on a PIL, the Madurai bench of Madras High Court had served notices to the Tamil Nadu School Education Department, which sought the introduction of English medium education in government-aided schools.