Union govt can't accept TN's education growth, says CM Stalin

Stalin added that Tamil Nadu also was willing to adopt the best schemes of Telangana. But he cautioned that Union-level efforts to derail the progress of the State would not succeed.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin accused the Union government on Thursday, September 25, of putting hurdles in the path of the State's education policy, even as a number of other States were looking to emulate its model.

Addressing Kalviyil Sirantha Tamil Nadu (Educationally Excellent Tamil Nadu) in Chennai, Stalin averred that the State's success in education had attracted the attention of the entire country. "Other States are emulating our efforts and implementing them. But the Union government, not being able to acknowledge our advancement, is attempting to stunt us," he added.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who attended the event, said that his government would implement the breakfast scheme for schoolchildren from the next academic year, following Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme.

"This scheme is touching; it benefits children of the poorest of families who go to school with an empty stomach. People of Tamil Nadu are fortunate because you have the best Chief Minister," he added.

He also appreciated other Tamil Nadu schemes such as Naan Mudhalvan, Pudhumai Penn, and Tamil Pudhalvan, and assured that his government had already rolled out Tamil Nadu's free bus travel for women under the Mahalakshmi scheme.

The Telangana CM also declared that he would set up a Sports University and academies with a Rs 500 crore corpus fund, as well as a Young India Skills University under a public-private partnership system to match training with employment.

He further added, "Tamil Nadu and Telangana must join hands to make sure India gets gold medals in the 2028 Olympics. If Narendra Modi and Amit Shah do not do their work, I will do it myself."

Stalin mentioned that attendance of students had improved following the implementation of the breakfast programme, and Pudhumai Penn and Tamil Pudhalvan had helped increase enrollment for higher education, with 75% of government school students completing Class XII now pursuing their studies in colleges.

1,878 government school students have gained admission to top higher educational institutions over the last four years, he added.

Stalin also added that Tamil Nadu also was ready to take on the most promising schemes from Telangana. However, he gave a warning that Union-level efforts at sabotaging the progress of the State would prove unsuccessful. "We must drive fear into those who, being unable to tolerate our growth, attempt to hinder us. Our schemes and accomplishments will do that," he added.