Chennai, Aug 27 : Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has said that the state government will take steps to reopen schools that were recently closed owing to poor enrolment.

He stated that the government remains committed to strengthening public education, pointing out that nearly four lakh new students have enrolled in government schools this academic year.

The minister recently chaired a review meeting with headteachers of government and aided schools to assess the situation. Referring to reports of 207 schools being shut, he said the reasons for these closures were being studied and that efforts were underway to bring back children above the age of five into the school system through e-register tracking.

According to him, declining enrolment was linked to migration during the pandemic and globally falling birth rates.

He said that the department is working on strategies to address these issues, including encouraging early enrolment and improving retention levels in classrooms.

During the review, Poyyamozhi instructed headmasters to handle students exhibiting challenging behaviour with care and to deal effectively with caste-based issues on campuses.

He also reviewed the findings of the State Level Achievement Survey conducted for Classes 3, 5, and 8, which assessed student learning levels across the state.

The minister reiterated that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin considers education and healthcare as the two eyes of the government's development policy. He further emphasised that there would be no compromise on the two-language policy followed in Tamil Nadu.

Highlighting financial challenges, Poyyamozhi criticised the Union government for withholding funds owed to the state.

He said that the Centre had stalled the release of Rs 2,152 crore in the last fiscal year and had also refused to disburse Rs 800 crore under the Right to Education (RTE) fund this year. Despite these obstacles, he maintained that the state government was determined to ensure access to quality education for all children.

With increasing enrolment numbers and corrective measures underway, the education department expects to reopen closed schools and further strengthen Tamil Nadu's public education system.

/IANS