Chennai, July 8:
The DMK on Tuesday criticised Industries Minister S. Keerthana, accusing her of demotivating government school students during an inspection visit and turning classrooms into platforms for political publicity. The party alleged that the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was engaging in “political stunts” by filming reels inside schools that end up humiliating both students and teachers.
PM Yazhini, social media in-charge of the DMK women’s wing, referred to the minister’s visit to the Thiruthangal Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School. She claimed that Keerthana questioned students in English and reportedly remarked that “last-bench students are weak in English,” which, according to her, caused embarrassment to the students and sparked criticism.
Yazhini emphasised that improving educational standards in government schools should be achieved through systematic reforms and better support for teachers, rather than publicity-driven inspections. She argued that the presence of cameras inside classrooms for such exercises could undermine students’ confidence instead of fostering learning.
Accusing the TVK government of lacking substantive achievements, the DMK leader alleged that ministers were increasingly resorting to publicity-oriented visits to schools and hospitals. She also claimed that ruling party functionaries were using educational institutions for political messaging, including displaying images of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Calling for a strict separation between politics and education, Yazhini urged the government to avoid using children as “political shields” for publicity. She warned that attempts to create a sense of inferiority among students for political gain would not be accepted by the public.