Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare V.M. Rajalakshmi on Wednesday announced in the Assembly that ‘Smart Classrooms’ will be created and implemented in Adi Dravidar senior secondary and higher secondary schools.
During the debate on the demands for grants for her department, she said that in the first phase, ‘Smart Classroom’ initiatives will be implemented in 20 higher secondary schools at a cost of ₹1.12 crore and in 83 senior secondary schools at a cost of ₹83 lakh. As per the plan, the initiative will be implemented in 116 higher secondary schools.
The Minister also announced that water filters will be fitted in 100 Adi Dravidar hostels and 50 tribal boarding and lodging schools at a cost of ₹1.05 crore. The State government will also build new classrooms in 10 tribal boarding and lodging schools at a cost of ₹2 crore.
Decline in numbers
The Tribal Welfare Department will construct libraries with seating arrangements and toilets in five tribal boarding schools at a cost of ₹75 lakh and in another 20 such schools at a cost of ₹2 crore.
Answering a question raised by the DMK MLA for Gudiyattam, Kathavarayan, as to why there had been a decline in the number of students studying in Adi Dravidar schools, Minister of School Education K.A. Sengottaiyan said Adi Dravidar students had gradually moved on to regular government schools.
“In those days, it was true that Adi Dravidar students studied mainly in Adi Dravidar schools. But gradually, Adi Dravidar students have moved on to government schools. This is the reason why there seems to be a decline [in their numbers],” he contended.
Mr. Kathavarayan also raised a question about the AIADMK’s 2016 election promise that its government will write off the education loans availed by students who were still unemployed. Cooperation Minister Sellur Raju retorted by asking whether the erstwhile DMK government had managed to give two acres of land for free to the landless, as promised in the party’s 2006 manifesto.
He also said bus passes for senior citizens will be gradually distributed throughout Tamil Nadu.