The Tamil Nadu School Education department has issued a government order for the establishment of 28 schools of excellence across the state, which will begin functioning from the current academic year.
Existing government schools will be transformed into these schools of excellence, and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had made an announcement regarding the same earlier this year in the State Assembly.
A list of schools to be upgraded in each district has also been released, and in Chennai, the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar will be transformed into a School of Excellence.
The budget estimates made for establishing these schools include smart classrooms, computer labs, arts and crafts rooms, and STEM Labs. Funds will be set aside for these schools to establish clubs, hosting events such as annual and sports day, as well as teacher training programmes.
The Commissioner of School Education had detailed a proposal where ₹171 crore is required for upgrading and administering 28 schools of excellence. While a project proposal for ₹68 crore has been submitted to the NABARD for the sanction of funds, a request has been made to the State government for an administrative sanction of ₹ 102 crore.
The Government Order said after examining the proposal, an administrative sanction of ₹169 crore and financial sanction of ₹100 crore, which excludes the funds to be sanctioned under the NABARD, has been accorded.
At a recent event in Chennai, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had unveiled 26 schools of excellence and 15 model schools set up by the State emulating the model of the AAP government in Delhi.
