TN: DMK’s Namma School Programme Increases Role of Private Players

'My school, my pride', 'education is the only wealth that cannot be stolen' and 'partnering for change' are some of the promotional slogans of the Tamil Nadu government's new intervention in education.

The Namma School (Our School) Foundation was launched with much fanfare in Chennai on December 19. It aims to raise funds from private contributions for infrastructural development in state-run schools.

The government is seeking funds from the Tamil diaspora, corporate companies and local well-wishers.

The initiative acknowledges the requirement for smart classrooms to address the concerns of students with special needs and to promote sports & cultural activities, among others.

However, student groups and educationists have raised a pertinent question: why has the government expanded the role of private players in state-run schools?

Tamil Nadu has more than 37,000 government schools.

BIG CORPS FUND

The Namma School initiative is broadly promoted as a citizen-cum-government collaboration to reimagine education in government schools.

Upon launching the programme, chief minister Stalin said, targeting the international Tamil community, "It is an opportunity to pay back to the soil that nurtured you."

The program is said to help former students connect with their former teachers and fellow students.

Health minister Ma Subramaniam contributed Rs 1 lakh to his alma mater, the government school in Saidapet, Chennai.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin was the first donor; he contributed Rs 5 lakh towards the foundation. The foundation received Rs 50 crore on the day of its launch.

Most funds are expected through corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen and Toubro have committed Rs 11 crore to support over 100 schools under the government's 'Namma School' initiative.

'NOT FIRST OF ITS KIND'

Tamil Nadu proudly claims the Namma School initiative is the first of its kind.

Sudhakar, secretary, Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF), South Chennai, said, "This is not a new initiative. Over the past couple of decades, donor-run educational institutions have become a trend in many countries, particularly in the USA."

"As much as three-quarters of the funds are raised through alumni and other donors for public institutions in the USA. The 'governor's fund', which is the government fund allocated for education, has drastically reduced," he added.

"The Namma School initiative seems like a preliminary step towards cutting down government funds for education, and in the long run, to wash off their responsibility in school education," he said.

TNSF has been working towards inclusivity in neighbourhood schools.

'TOWARDS PRIVATISATION'

The Education Protection Committee of the Students Federation of India, Tamil Nadu, has opposed the Namma School programme stating the government is shedding its responsibilities, and it will affect crores of poor students.

"Even if we accept an argument that the government should solicit private contributions, the situation is different if the government receives and administers the funds. Putting the responsibility of managing the funds in private hands will lead to privatisation of government schools," read the statement.

The chairperson of the Namma School Foundation is Venu Srinivasan, former chairman of the TVS automobile company. Chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand is its ambassador.

This scheme allows private companies to adopt government schools directly or set up various constructions. SFI observed that this aligns with the National Education Policy 2020.

Notably, the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu came to power claiming to oppose the National Education Policy 2020.

SFI observed that the Namma School initiative is in continuation of "the district primary education program (DPEP) introduced in the 1990s, including the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) program, which has gradually privatised government schools in the name of Public Private Partnership (PPP)."

ROLE OF GOVT

The government of Tamil Nadu allocated maximum funds for the school education department, almost Rs 37,000 crore, for the year 2022-23.

"Around 90% of funds allotted for school education is spent on wages and for the expansion of the education sector. Only a portion of the remaining 10% is spent for infrastructural development," said Bharathi, SFI state committee member.

Yet, "thousands of teaching positions are vacant, school constructions including classrooms and toilets are dilapidated, teachers are working on temporary jobs…" said V Sudhakar of SFI's Education Protection Committee.

"The public were expecting the government to allocate sufficient funds to fix all this," he added.

"On the other hand, neighbouring Kerala built 110 new school buildings in the past five years, each costing Rs 5 crore. Government role should be boosted," added Bharathi

Meanwhile, the state department of School Education is conducting a door-to-door survey across Tamil Nadu to trace out-of-school children.

Last year's survey identified nearly 4.99 lakh children as potential dropouts. Through the Illam Thedi Kalvi programme launched by the school education department, a large portion of them returned to school.