CHENNAI: Launched three years ago, the kindergarten wing in 2,381 government schools across the state has been shut due to teachers' shortage.
All teachers assigned to take classes for LKG and UKG have been transferred to other schools and there will be no admissions for these sections in these schools for 2022-23, school education department officials said.
More than 43,000 students who chose the Montessori-based pre-primary education will now study at the same anganwadi centres that will function under the social welfare department.
In 2019-20, the government launched on a pilot basis LKG and UKG classes in 2,381 anganwadi centres functioning in government middle schools and posted surplus teachers from primary schools to teach KG students.
Now there are very few teachers. "Following a huge migration of students from private schools to government schools last year, government primary schools faced a teacher shortage. More than 4,500 teachers were needed to ensure Class I and II students have teachers. So, the government transferred 2,381 teachers back to primary schools," an official said.
Enrolment in schools with KG sections did not see any increase in the past three years, the official added.
Govt should rethink shutting KG system down: Educationists
Several educationists say the government should have a rethink about shutting down KG system. "The Montessori system at pre-primary level will give a robust introduction to learning skills that are badly missing for government school students. The state government should bring back LKG, UKG classes in government schools," said V Vasanthidevi, former vice-chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. She also wanted the government to take steps to make schools available for all children from the age of three.
Several teachers said parents do not wait till age five to enroll their wards in Class I.
"Many admit kids aged three to nursery schools where they remain till Class V. School education department should start KG sections in all government primary and middle schools. They should also appoint trained teachers for kindergarten sections," said P Patric Raymond, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Graduate Teachers Federation.
However, talking in Thanjavur, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told reporters that LKG, UKG sections were not closed. "The administration has been transferred to the social welfare department from the school education department. Students will continue to study in those sections and the government will provide them educational kits and teaching learning material," he said.
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