Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi launched textbook and notebook distribution for students for the new academic year 2024-25, as schools reopened after summer vacation on Monday.
As many as 70,67,094 students will be receiving textbooks while 60,75,315 students will get notebooks and 8,22,603 students will get an atlas in government and government-aided schools across the State.
Speaking at the launch of the programme at the AJS Nidhi Higher Secondary School in Alandur, the Minister said, “The government, so far, has allotted funds to the tune of ₹1.5 lakh crore for school education in an effort to provide quality education. It is important to have gratitude to your parents as they have worked hard to make you study.”
The Minister urged the students to actively take part in the club activities. He said, “There are many lessons that are to be learnt from the ground as much as in a classroom.” He advised the teachers to encourage the students to pursue sports and to utilise the playground.
Simultaneously, the government has also begun drive for Aadhaar enrolment and for opening of bank accounts in the State, which is slated to benefit 60 lakh government schoolchildren.
“This drive will help those students receiving scholarships in Class IX and Class XI. Usually, the parents end up running around at that time to open bank accounts to enable the children benefit from the scholarship, causing severe hardship to them. This process, has now been simplified for them,” said a teacher from a government school in Nanganallur.
Labs in schools
The State government has also been setting up hi-tech labs in over 8,000 middle schools, the work for which is expected to be completed in the next three months, said School Education Department Secretary J. Kumaragurubaran.
At several schools, including the Nehru Boys Government Higher Secondary School, teachers welcomed the students with roses and chocolates as they began their new school year.
