‘Model school concept is against DMK's Samacheer Kalvi system’

CHENNAI: The members of State Platform for Common School System (SPCSS) have said that the Tamil Nadu government forming a body – Tamil Nadu model schools – is against the Samacheer Kalvi or State's uniform system of school education, established in November 2009.

With a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed as member secretary, the School Education Department has formed a body called TN model schools.

Under this programme, 240 students from each district appeared for a baseline assessment on Saturday, for Class 9 admission in model schools of TN.

However, SPCSS through a press note stated, "The concept of selecting the best students and providing them the best quality of training is against the principle of equality. Also, it is against the Samacheer Kalvi, the dream education system established by late chief minister M Karunanidhi."

Through the model schools scheme, the schools will select the best lot out of the government school students and give them all facilities to prepare themselves for board exams and other National Testing Agency assessments like NEET, CUET and more.

"Model schools will weaken the rest of the State-run schools both government and aided. It will make all the other government schools as second-class schools. The innocent children admitted in government schools will suffer the stigma of not being worthy of getting admitted in model schools," noted the SPCSS note.

Hence, SPCSS made an appeal to the government to do away with model schools and instead plan ways to strengthen all government and government aided schools to provide equitable access to education for all children.