The Namma School Namma Ooru Palli (NSNOP) initiative received pledges amounting to ₹141 crore from 31 companies for the Tiruchi region during its regional conference on Tuesday. The Tiruchi region encompasses districts such as Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, and Karur.
As part of the event, School Education Department launched Palli Chaalaram, a web page designed to connect government school alumni and encourage their contributions to school development. Part of the NSNOP initiative, the portal can be accessed at thlink.in/1qb3og
The page provides details of all government schools in Tamil Nadu, their current status, former teachers, and alumni. It enables alumni to reconnect, support their schools through digital contributions, and collaborate on development initiatives. Users can locate former teachers, revisit school memories, and address specific needs, such as improving infrastructure.
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who launched the portal during the event, said it would play a crucial role in fostering alumni involvement in transforming government schools.
The conference marked the fourth regional gathering after similar events in Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore. Addressing the participants, Mr. Mahesh highlighted the success of the NSNOP initiative, which has raised over ₹500 crore since its launch by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in December 2022. “Our target for the Tiruchi region was ₹100 crore, but the amount pledged has far exceeded expectations,” he said.
Mr. Mahesh criticised the Union government for withholding funds under the National Education Policy by linking them to the three-language policy. Despite Tamil Nadu meeting 18 out of 20 indicators under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), funds have not been released, he said. Undeterred, the State government has independently set a target to construct 18,000 classrooms at a cost of ₹7,500 crore as part of its efforts to improve government school infrastructure.
He outlined various State schemes, including the free breakfast programme, the Naan Mudhalvan initiative, the Pudhumai Penn scheme, STEM labs, and training in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company and Chairperson of NSNOP, emphasised the programme’s objective of transforming government schools with modern infrastructure to rival private institutions. “This initiative is strengthening the foundation of our society and heralding a silent revolution in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi N. Siva said the State government had allocated over 10% of its budget — ₹44,000 crore — for school education this year, despite limited central support. Lok Sabha member Durai Vaiko praised Tamil Nadu’s leadership in school education, highlighting the State’s focus on skill development and employment-oriented learning.
R. Sudhan, Secretary of NSNOP, N.V. Balachandar, Director of Ashok Leyland, and Srivats Ram, Chairman of CII Tamil Nadu, were present.
Published - January 21, 2025 06:58 pm IST
