CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday released the State Education Policy-School Education underscoring the state’s commitment to two-language policy of Tamil and English as against the three-language policy stipulated under the National Education Policy 2020.
Among the key aspects of the policy — which aims to make school education system future-ready with focus on inclusivity, equity, and social justice, and curriculum and pedagogical reforms — is the scrapping of Class 11 board exam to reduce exam-related stress for students.
While Tamil will be compulsorily taught from classes 1 to 10 in all schools regardless of board affiliation, SEP retains the 10+2 pattern, rejecting the 5+3+3+4 model of NEP.
The government said SEP will be revised every three years, but the ‘Future Readiness’ component will be updated annually based on stakeholder feedback to keep pace with social, economic and technological changes. Under infrastructure development, TN will launch Vetri (Vibrant Education Targeting Reputed Institutions) Palligal (Schools of Success).
Schools will be made socially-inclusive
The Vetri Palligal will be launched by selecting one high-performing government school in each block and upgrade it as a model school to enable more students to enter top higher education institutions.
To address disparities in Gross Enrollment Ratio, dropout rates and learning outcomes among SC, ST, and minority students in specific regions, the government will tackle the issues with prioritised allocation of resources, infrastructure and skilled teachers.
Scholarships will be introduced for first-generation learners, tribal students, and girls in secondary and higher secondary schools to improve retention and performance. The policy aims to move away from rote memorisation and high-stakes exams towards continuous, formative competency-based assessments that support learning.
Schools will be designed to be physically safe, emotionally supportive, socially inclusive and holistic in their approach to child development. Foundational literacy and numeracy will remain a priority, with the Ennum Ezhuthum Mission scaled-up and strengthened through clear grade-wise learning indicators, benchmarks and skill maps. Students in Classes 4 and 5 needing extra help will be covered through bridge and remedial programmes.
The state will conduct State Level Achievement Surveys for Classes 3, 5, and 8 across all boards and managements to track progress and provide feedback. The curriculum will be redesigned to be inquiry-driven, integrating skills such as critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, climate education, and safety awareness, while reflecting TN’s socio-cultural, linguistic, and regional diversity.
SEP salient features
Tamil to be compulsorily taught from Standards 1 to 10 in all schools, regardless of board affiliation
No-detention policy to continue till Class 8
Vocational education to be strengthened through industry partnerships
Grievance redressal mechanisms in all schools
Annual reports on infrastructure and facilities will be published for ransparency
Data on enrolment, learning outcomes, and dropouts by gender, caste, disability, and socio-economic status to be integrated into the State EMIS for evidence-based interventions
Early identification and rehabilitation of children with disabilities
Progressive adoption of the universal design for learning with multi-sensory methods
Infrastructure to be made barrier-free, child-friendly, and accessible to children with special needs
Career guidance for all from Class 9 onwards
Every school will be assessed under a new Green School Framework
Provide bilingual and language bridge programmes, particularly for migrant and tribal children
