Chennai, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Salem districts have received the maximum donor support.
Education is the process by which a society transmits its accumulated knowledge skills and values from one generation to another. Education must provide the means and opportunities to enhance the child’s creative expression and the capacity for aesthetic appreciation. Education gives knowledge about the world around us. It makes children capable of interpreting things in the right perspective.
The vision of Karnataka Education Department is to provide burden-less, joyful learning and basic infrastructure, ensuring safety and security to achieve universalisation of education at both elementary and secondary levels.
A recent study conducted by UNICEF and the school education department in Tamil Nadu revealed that a total of Rs 7,000 crore of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds could be utilized to develop government schools in the state. The study, titled ‘Mapping Donor Interventions and Support in the School Education Space in Tamil Nadu,’ aimed to identify the extent of donor support rendered to school education in the state in the year 2019-20. The findings of the study will help to strategize fundraising for the department in the coming years.
Key Points
- 50-60% of the top 500 companies in Tamil Nadu have Rs 7,000 crore in CSR funds.
- The Namma School Foundation encourages private companies to support government schools.
- Presently, there is unequal distribution of CSR funds to government schools.
- The Namma School Foundation aims to improve fund distribution and promote uniform development.
- Focus is on improving education quality and equal development across schools.
Mapping Donor Support in School Education in Tamil Nadu
According to the study, out of the 37,558 schools in the state, only 4,101 reported receiving support during the three years, while 6,610 schools did not receive any support. The remaining 26,847 schools did not provide any data. The 4,101 schools that received support were provided Rs 116.57 crore across the three financial years. Of this, Rs 49.34 crore in 2019-20 was the highest. This reduced to Rs 30.48 crore in 2020-21 due to the impact of Covid-19. However, it recovered by 15% the following year. The study also showed that higher secondary schools received the maximum support (38%) followed by primary schools (28%).
Table: Mapping Donor Support in School Education in Tamil Nadu
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Schools | There are 37,558 schools in Tamil Nadu. |
| Schools Receiving Support | Only 4,101 schools reported receiving support during the three years. |
| Schools Not Receiving Support | 6,610 schools did not receive any support. |
| Schools with No Data Provided | The remaining 26,847 schools did not provide any data. |
| Amount of Support Provided | The 4,101 schools that received support were provided Rs 116.57 crore across the three financial years. |
| Highest Support Received | Rs 49.34 crore in 2019-20 was the highest amount of support received. |
| Impact of Covid-19 | Support reduced to Rs 30.48 crore in 2020-21 due to the impact of Covid-19. |
| Recovery of Support | Support recovered by 15% the following year. |
| Schools Receiving Maximum Support | Higher secondary schools received the maximum support (38%) followed by primary schools (28%). |
Regional Development and Industrialization Linked to Higher Donor Engagement
The study found that the support received by schools was linked to the extent of regional development and industrialization, resulting in higher donor engagement in northern and western Tamil Nadu, than in southern districts. The districts of Chennai, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Salem have seen the maximum donor support. Corporates and NGOs account for around 70% of the total support provided, and physical infrastructure and amenities have been the most dominantly supported theme across all locations.
Utilizing CSR Funds to Develop Government Schools
The study revealed that about 50 to 60% of the top 500 companies with a presence in the state have CSR funds of Rs 7,000 crore that can be tapped into. The Namma School Foundation scheme was initiated by the school education department to encourage private companies to contribute to the development of government schools. However, at present, there is an uneven distribution of CSR funds provided to government schools. The Namma School Foundation will make the spending of funds more uniform and help schools develop uniformly with a focus on improving the quality of education.
“At present, there is an uneven distribution of CSR funds provided to government schools. The Namma School Foundation will make the spending of funds more uniform and help schools develop uniformly with focus on improving the quality of education,” said a school education official.
Allocation of substantial budget
The Government of Tamil Nadu is committed to providing universal access to schools and holistic development to every student with quality and inclusive education and requisite physical infrastructure. The focus is on achieving total enrollment of all school-age children, complete retention of enrolled children up to secondary levels, zero dropouts, improving learning outcomes, and empowering teachers through effective training. The government has allocated a substantial budget of Rs.36895.89 crore for the year 2022-23 for school education to achieve these goals.
Literacy rate
Tamil Nadu has achieved universal access to schooling at all levels. In the recently published school education quality index (PGI), the state has secured 2ndplace overall in the country. According to the 2011 population census, the literacy rate in Tamil Nadu has shown an upward trend and stands at 80.09 percent which is greater than average literacy rate 72.98% of India.
(India CSR)
