New Delhi, August 30: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday called upon Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to implement the PM SHRI scheme to develop the state's government schools as exemplary educational institutions, saying, "political agendas should not overshadow our children's education and future".
In a letter to CM Stalin, Pradhan urged the state government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure the scheme's benefits reach students across Tamil Nadu.
The PM SHRI Schools initiative is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at establishing over 14,500 schools across India. These schools are intended to serve as model institutions under the joint supervision of the Central Government, State/UT Governments, local bodies,Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
Despite repeated requests, Tamil Nadu has not yet signed the MoU for the PM SHRI scheme, Pradhan noted in his letter. He emphasised that while the state initially committed to signing the MoU in the 2024-25 period, the subsequent draft sent by the Tamil Nadu government omitted key commitments required for the comprehensive implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
