PMK does U-turn on Samacheer Kalvi?

Taking a diametrically opposite stand, Dr. Ramadoss said, "Education should make a student converse and write properly in English on clearing the Standard X exam, apart from learning Tamil".

SALEM 31/01/2014: PMK founder S. Ramadoss addressing a conference ofthe partys women wing in Salem, Tamil Nadu, on Friday. PHOTO:E_LAKSHMI NARAYANAN

Terming the uniform system of school education in Tamil Nadu farcical, PMK founder S. Ramadoss has demanded that more CBSE system schools be opened in the State.

Priority

He made this surprising remark at a meeting of the party’s Kancheepuram (West) district unit held here on Wednesday. Agriculture, quality education and quality health services were the party’s top priorities, he said.

Later, responding to a question from

The Hindu on what made him — one of the strong proponents of the uniform system of education — to take a diametrically opposite position, Dr. Ramadoss said the existing school education system was formulated only to placate some educationists and leaders like him who demanded quality education for all.

“Education should make a student converse and write properly in English on clearing the Standard X examination, apart from learning Tamil in a flawless manner. Further, the student should acquire knowledge on a par with those in other parts of the country, which cannot be achieved through the existing system,” Dr. Ramadoss said.