Educationists write to CM Stalin to address SEP concerns

CHENNAI: In the wake of controversies surrounding the recent release of the State Education Policy (SEP) for school education, educationists and members of the State platform for Common School System (SPCSS-TN) here on Saturday wrote an open letter to Chief Minister MK Stalin. Members have raised areas of concern in the policy, too.

In the letter, educationists congratulated the CM for the policy release, making TN the only state to do so and evolving state-specific policies from other regions as well.

However, the letter highlighted that the unavailability of the high-level committee report in the public domain and subsequently releasing the policy without placing the draft for public discussion denies the democratic space for people to negotiate certain proposals in the policy.

The letter further detailed that SEP does not talk about technicalities and stressed that making students job-ready must not be the only purpose of school education.

"A policy on school education should provide a road map for equitable access to education for all and a smooth transition from school education to higher education. The school education must aim to bring all to higher education and not push them out of mainstream education by luring them to get trained for a vocation, " stated the letter.

Subsequently, SPCSS-TN's letter to CM pointed out that the concept of 'model schools', 'vetri schools' and involvement of volunteers in curricular activities are against the concept of 'Samacheer Kalvi policy' and the principles of social justice.

And, the branding of schools as models and vetri - the schools of excellence - are against Article 14 and 21. It negates the mandate given to the government by the Constitution of India through Article 41, the letter stated, adding that separate structures within government schools will never help in strengthening government schools but will only weaken them.

The state policy is expected to remove all discriminatory structures and practices in school education and provide for equitable access to quality education for all, the educationalists stressed to the CM.

The letter additionally pointed out that SEP confuses experiential learning with vocational training. "The policy should clarify the intention, whether the course is designed for the student to pursue higher studies or push them into a job," it added.