Rejecting the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s proposal to set up model schools under public-private partnership mode, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Monday suggested the State government to run the proposed model schools in Tamil Nadu with funding from the Centre. In a statement here, Mr Karunanidhi asked Chief Minister Jayalalitha not to grant permission to such model schools as proposed by the Centre. “Instead of allowing private players to run the proposed model schools, the government should come forward and run them. The State should immediately convey this to the Centre,” he said. The DMK president wondered why the State government was remaining silent on the model schools issue when leaders of all political parties had expressed their opposition to the Centre’s proposal.
Mr. Karunanidhi said he had issued the statement against setting up model schools through public-private partnership route and did not consider who was ruling at the Centre, since the decision encroached upon the State government’s rights on education.
“Is it that the State government is not expressing its opinion because the DMK is opposing the model schools?” he asked and urged the State government to give up its political animosity and implement schemes for the welfare of the people.
