CM Edappadi K Palaniswami: Kalvi Tholaikkatchi will transform education scenario
CHENNAI: The state government launched an exclusive channel for education - Kalvi Tholaikkatchi (Education TV) - on Monday aimed at benefiting students of classes I to XII.
Launching the Education TV, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said this channel, which will be available 24 hours on TN Arasu Cable TV network (channel no. 200), would transform the education scenario. “The Kalvi Tholaikkatchi will go a long way in improving the quality of education besides equipping the students,” he added.
Palaniswami said about Rs 1.35 crore was spent on procuring modern cameras, drones and technical equipment for the channel. The programmes being produced by Education TV would compete with those made by the private sector. The Education TV content will be useful for students from LKG up to class 12. The channel will have experts on different subjects clearing doubts and on tests to take to prepare for competitive exams, among others, CM added.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said Palaniswami who was treading on the path of Amma (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) has been allocating more funds to the education department.
“Students can now learn from home,” school education minister K. A. Sengkottaiyan said at the launch event.
An initiative of the school education department, Kalvi Tholaikkatchi's content will include shows aimed at school children, besides those on jobs and related issues.
Punjab already has an Edusat programme, which runs around nine educational programmes with multimedia, and animation during school hours, in its 3,400 schools. Punjab launched a dedicated TV channel, Vidya TV, showing educational content with career counselling and programmes on current affairs, in 2016.
On July 9, 2017, the Union HRD ministry launched a scheme called Swayam Prabha, allowing 32 direct-to-home (DTH) television channels to broadcast programs for school and university students on 24X7 basis using the GSAT-15 satellite. These channels help students in rural and remote areas where IT infrastructure has not penetrated so well.
According to sources, Kalvi Tholaikkatchi will telecast programmes from 6 am to 9.30 pm every day. The programmes will be based on board exam preparation for students, employment news and opportunities for the youth and career-guidance information. The content for the channel has been prepared by a group of 25 teachers and the programmes will also have guest speakers like authors and subject experts. The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has also contributed towards content development for the channel.
The TN SCERT has a channel on YouTube already with around 2.5 lakh subscribers and more than 3,000 videos. The videos range from chapter-wise tutorials on subjects to easy science experiments conducted by middle school students.
The state has reportedly fixed cable TV connections in all government schools with high school and higher secondary classes. Soon, cable connections will be provided to primary and middle schools as well. Students can also make use of the YouTube channel of Kalvi Tholaikkatchi.
