Chennai: The Tamilnadu government’s pironerring ‘Illam Thedi Kalvi’ scheme (education at doorsteps), which was started on a pilot basis, will be scaled up across the State, Governor R N Ravi told the State Assembly recently.
Sources said the government is committed to providing quality education for all children and the latest initiative is being welcomed across the State, especially in rural areas.
‘Hence, it will be expanded to benefit more students. With schools shut due to Covid spread, this will be a boon to the children,’ they added.
A mission mode programme ‘Illam Thedi Kalvi’ has been initiated with an initial outlay of around Rs.200 crore to bridge learning losses among students of classes 1-8 due to lack of access to structured education during the Covid lockdown.
The programme, launched with the support of volunteers and the community, was successfully implemented in 12 districts on a pilot basis and is now being scaled up to the entire State. So far, 80,138 Illam Thedi Kalvi Centres have been started. Also, a massive grassroot level exercise has been undertaken to bring drop-out children back to school.
Using a GPS enabled mobile application and with 80,000 surveyors drawn from various departments, 1,73,792 children have been identified and successfully enrolled in age-appropriate classes.
The government is promoting the dual language policy by bringing together a passion for mother tongue Tamil and proficiency in the global language English.
A comprehensive scheme will be implemented over the next five years to modernise the government schools, which are the backbone of the State’s education system, the Governor said.
The government will set up smart classrooms in all the 24,345 government primary schools, augment infrastructure to accommodate increasing admissions and create high-tech computer, science and language laboratories in all 6,992 middle, high and higher secondary schools.
High speed broadband connectivity and well-maintained, clean and hygienic sanitary complexes will be provided in all schools. In addition, refresher training to teachers with the guidance of eminent academicians in the country and training for development of soft skills of students would be imparted.