The School Education Department has ordered that headmasters of schools must arrange everything necessary for the inauguration ceremony of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme at their own expense.
In this situation, Anbumani Ramadoss has issued a statement saying that it is condemnable for the government itself to impose an unnecessary financial burden on teachers.
In that report, "With the inauguration of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme, which has been renamed and extended up to eighth grade in government and government-aided schools in Tamil Nadu, set to take place on the 17th, the School Education Department has ordered that all the necessary arrangements for it must be made by the headmasters of the schools at their own expense. It is condemnable that the government itself is imposing an unnecessary financial burden on teachers.
The Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme was introduced in government primary schools in Tamil Nadu for students from Class 1 to Class 5 on September 15, 2022, on the birth anniversary of Anna. From August 25, 2023, the scheme was extended to government-aided schools as well. Continuing this initiative, the scheme has now been extended up to Class 8 and will be launched on September 17, the birth anniversary of Thanthai Periyar, under the name “Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme.”
As arrangements are being made for the launch ceremony of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar breakfast scheme, new nameboards measuring 4 by 2 feet must be made on steel pipes and installed at the schools where this scheme will be implemented; deficiencies related to facilities such as the kitchen, storage room for food items, drinking water, and electric lights needed by the schools must be addressed; and plates and tumblers must be purchased for the students, the School Education Department has instructed the headmasters of schools. However, it has not allocated even a single paisa for this purpose. What is shocking is that the government has ordered the headmasters to provide all these facilities at their own expense.
In each school, depending on the number of students, it may cost between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 10,000 to carry out the tasks listed by the government. It is unfair to place this entire burden on the heads of headmasters. The Tamil Nadu government, which has allocated several hundred crores for the breakfast scheme, has no obstacle to setting aside a few lakhs more to provide these facilities. Without doing that, forcing these expenses onto headmasters cannot be accepted. Teachers cannot manage this.
Because the government did not allocate funds to provide basic facilities at direct paddy procurement centers and government liquor shops, and instead burdened the employees with it, a situation arose in which Rs. 60 per sack is collected at procurement centers and Rs. 10 per bottle at government liquor shops. The government is struggling to eliminate that culture. If that same culture is extended to schools as well, it will create the possibility of mistakes happening there too. Mistakes should not be taught in schools, which are meant to teach honesty and discipline.
Therefore, the circular related to this, which has been sent by the District Education Officer to the schools where the breakfast scheme is to be implemented, should be withdrawn immediately. I insist that the government should bear the cost of name boards, plates, tumblers, and other facilities for the breakfast scheme," he said.