Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Tuesday said improving the quality of education in government schools was the crying need of the time. The negative differentials in educational outputs between government and private schools was “worrisome”.
In his address on the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day to the people of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Ravi said: “The poor cannot afford expensive private schools. Government schools are their only hope.”
Before the introduction of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission into medical education, Mr. Ravi said the share of students from government schools to the seats in government medical colleges was hardly 1%. “Thanks to the affirmative action of 7.5% reservation for [NEET-qualified] government school students that the number has improved significantly, however, there is urgent need to improve the quality of education also in the government schools. Similarly in higher education too, we must work hard to restore the once enviable reputation of our universities.” He did not elaborate on this subject.
Referring to the initiative of the Prime Minister in the setting up of the ‘Mahakavi Subramania Bharati Chair’ at the Banaras Hindu University, the Governor said the country must have the full benefit of the richness of Tamil. “While it is important that Tamil language is given wider spread in the rest of the country, it is also important that our school students learn other Indian languages like students in other States.Depriving our students of knowledge of other Indian languages is unfair to all.Besides fostering brotherliness and better mutual appreciation, a linguistic intellectual and cultural cross-pollination will enrich all of us and also open several opportunities for our harmonious growth,” he said.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the country has been able to deal with this unprecedented global crisis of COVID-19 and its adverse consequences, he said. Tamil Nadu was progressive and in COVID-19 management, it has done very well, the Governor said and added that the State government has performed “remarkably well” in mitigating the adverse effects of unprecedented rains and cyclones in 2021.
“Our human and industrial development indices are commendable.Through constructive measures taken by successive State governments and with support of the Central Government, we have achieved remarkable success in social justice, spread of education, healthcare and enhancing livelihood of our people,” he said. He also thanked the PM for inaugurating 11 medical colleges in the State.
While continuing to steadily improve our position in development and growth, the focus should also be on building social harmony and imparting quality to education, he said. “The anthropocentric view of life and resultant reckless rampant exploitations of nature and natural resources by some advanced countries have put our planet in existential crisis. The countries responsible for destructions of ecology and climate are not yet forthcoming to mend their ways,” he said but did not mention any country specifically.
However, India with its commitment to integral humanism of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and unwavering belief in integral creation of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah – Sarve Santu niramayah’ (Let every being be happy and free of diseases) was demonstrating the ways of sustainable harmonious development, he said.
Numerous diversities have been the beauty and strength of the country, he said and added that for several thousand years, people have lived together as one large family united in our shared cultural spirituality and values that were rooted in universal unity of human beings and their oneness with all of creation.
“Our Sangam literature, perhaps the most ancient living literature of the world, represents the highest ever evolution of intellectual and spiritual self, have inspired and influenced the succeeding generations of poets, thinkers and philosophers,” Mr. Ravi said.
