Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 29 : Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday urged the Centre to release ₹2,151 crore for the 2024-25 Samagra Shiksha Scheme, according to a statement.
The Samagra Shiksha Scheme is being implemented jointly by the Central and State Governments with the primary objectives of ensuring quality education for children studying from pre-primary to higher secondary levels, increasing student enrollment, providing equal opportunities for all children, and reducing social and gender disparities.
The funding pattern for this scheme has been fixed at 60% from the Central Government and 40% from the State Government.
Responding to a question raised in the Lok Sabha regarding the Samagra Shiksha funding, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, stated that an amount of ₹2,151 crore meant for Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme for the year 2024-2025 has been withheld, citing the reason that the Tamil Nadu Government has not complied with the proposed policy framework.
According to the statement from Panneerselvam, nearly 6.5 million students studying in private schools and 600,000 private school teachers are expected to benefit from this scheme. With the central funding now withheld, many private schools are facing severe financial distress. Moreover, several activities, such as teacher training programs and sanitation efforts in schools, which are usually supported by the scheme, have come to a standstill.
Furthermore, O Panneerselvam stated in a release that, due to the Central Government's decision, private schools are now unable to admit 25% of students under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the current year.
Not only that, but the education of those students currently studying under the RTE provision in private schools has also come under uncertainty. While the Central Government claims that the State has not accepted its conditions, withholding funds on this basis has directly impacted the innocent and underprivileged students and teachers. This action deserves strong condemnation. The Central Government's stance violates both the Right to Education Act and the principles of cooperative federalism.
Considering the adverse impact this decision has on the education of backwards, most backwards, scheduled caste, tribal, and economically disadvantaged students and teachers, the AIADMK's Rights Restoration Committee strongly urged the Central Government to immediately release the ₹2,151 crore allocated under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme for the year 2024-2025.