TIRUCHY: School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Sunday dismissed BJP leader K Annamalai’s criticism of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s subject knowledge, saying such remarks were made "without understanding the facts".
Speaking to media persons after releasing fish fingerlings into the Cauvery as part of a Fisheries Department initiative, Mahesh said Udhayanidhi had been spearheading major youth skill development programmes that had strengthened Tamilnadu's education-to-employment ecosystem. "The outcomes of Naan Mudhalvan and other training schemes are visible on the ground. One must know these details before commenting," he said.
He added that the state government continuously monitors their implementation to ensure benefits reach students. "This sustained follow-up is why Tamil Nadu is widely praised for its educational standards," he said.
Turning to Annamalai's statement that their alliance is the stronger one, Mahesh said the DMK-led alliance had remained intact and robust for nearly a decade. "If his claim is true, the answer will be known in four months. The chief minister has never allowed cracks in the coalition, and he will not in the future," he said.
On the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET), the minister said the government's consultations with teachers’ associations on Saturday sought lower qualifying marks, permission for Secondary Grade Teachers to write Paper II, experience-based weightage, SCERT-led training, and more questions from subjects teachers actually teach. "All views have been conveyed to the Chief Minister. We are working on solutions including a legal one so that do not harm a single teacher while also addressing ongoing legal challenges," he said.