The state government has taken into consideration the economic status of the parents as well as the learning interest of the students studying in the government and aided high and higher secondary schools in Chennai. The information is the tuition fees would be waived completely for the above mentioned students. This was announced by the state government. It must be noted that this largesse has already been extended to the students studying in Tamil medium in the government as well as aided schools in Tamil Nadu.
In the state assembly, an announcement was made by the school education minister, Mr. Sengottaiyan is known. He spoke about how currently there is no tuition fee for the students studying in Tamil medium in the government and aided schools in TN. He added that considering the economic status of the parents plus the learning interests of the students studying in these schools in TN, the tuition fees for the students studying in English medium would be completely waived.
Point to be noted is the director of school education sent a proposal to the government recommending the waiver of tuition fees collected from the students studying in English medium schools of government and aided high and higher secondary schools in TN.
Students studying in the classes 1 to 8 are exempted from paying the tuition fee for opting both Tamil as well as English mediums. This was according to the norms in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009.
The school education director later spoke about how for students studying in the government and aided high and higher secondary schools, the tuition fees for all category of students opting for English medium other than Other Castes or OC students was reimbursed by the government. An amount of Rs 67 lakhs was collected from about 22,314 students studying in the English medium schools in TN and this was as per the SSA statistics.
To compete with those students from other parts of India in many entrance exams at the national levels it is important for the students in rural and urban areas to acquire English language skills. It is said that for this purpose the waiver of the tuition fees for the English medium students was done.
Information collected is director has also recommended that the stand adopted for the students in Tamil medium regarding waiver of tuition fees might also be extended to the students of English medium schools. It is important to mention that waiver also facilitates smooth retirement to many government and aided school headmasters who were usually served with audit objections arising out of non collection of fees from the English medium school students in rural places. It is known that these students are economically backward.