Chennai, June 9 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has issued a Government Order (G.O.) to streamline the reading of non-academic books among students in Classes 1 to 8 across all government schools.

The initiative also aims to enhance the effective use of school libraries, with a structured plan that spans the entire academic year.

As per the new directive, students will receive books on a variety of weekly themes, including sports, animals, environment, science, the importance of education, and the uses of the Internet, among others.

The reading schedule has been tailored to match the reading levels of each grade, ensuring accessibility and engagement for students across the primary and upper primary stages.

In addition to reading, the G.O. outlines a comprehensive framework of activities such as storytelling sessions, speeches, and group discussions to deepen student engagement with the material.

These sessions are expected to foster language development, critical thinking, and creativity.

This initiative is part of a larger effort announced by the School Education Minister to promote reading proficiency in government schools through storytelling events, reading challenges, and theme-based reading weeks.

To support this, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has been directed to develop appropriate reading material for each weekly theme.

The Integrated Education Department will oversee the implementation of the programme at the school level.

Officials from the Elementary Education Department stated that this move builds on the success of the ‘Vasippu Iyakkam (Reading Movement)’, which was scaled up last year to include all government schools in Tamil Nadu.

Under that initiative, each classroom received more than 120 Tamil books curated for different reading levels.

The latest directive refines the ‘Vasippu Iyakkam’ initiative by offering a clear and structured reading plan, which teachers can follow more easily and implement effectively.

The Directorate of Elementary Education has meticulously prepared the academic schedule, aligning it with developmental reading levels of students from Classes 1 through 8.

Education officials believe the initiative will help cultivate a reading culture among young learners, support holistic learning, and make better use of the extensive library resources already present in government schools.

—IANS

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