Govt schools will continue to offer LKG, UKG in TN

CHENNAI: Two days after saying government schools will no longer offer LKG and UKG classes, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday rolled back its decision. While scrapping kindergarten classes, the government had cited a shortage of teachers, but has now said sufficient qualified teachers will be appointed.

A decision to this effect was taken based on Chief Minister MK Stalin’s advice, following requests from several quarters. The school education department has been instructed to take the necessary steps, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said, adding that the plan had been to shift LKG and UKG classes to anganwadis attached to 2,381 government primary and middle schools in the State on a pilot basis.

The previous AIADMK regime had introduced kindergarten classes as there was a surplus of teachers at that time owing to poor enrolment in government schools, the minister pointed out, and added: “But due to the (DMK) government’s efforts in improving the quality of schools, seven lakh new students were enrolled in government schools last year, leading to the addition of 3,000 sections.”

To handle the large number of students in schools, LKG and UKG teachers were transferred to Classes 1 to 5. Despite this, the government took steps to ensure that kindergarten students continue their education without any disruption, the school education minister said in a statement.