TN Spoken English Scheme Mozhigal Becomes Defunct in Govt Schools

Tamil Nadu’s flagship spoken English programme, 'Mozhigal', has become largely defunct across government schools in Chennai and the state. The initiative has suffered due to poor maintenance of hi-tech computer labs and the absence of dedicated classroom periods for students.

Spearheaded by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Educational Research and Training (TNSCERT), the programme is designed for students in Classes VI to VIII. The initiative was launched three years ago to improve students' spoken English through games, video modules, and frequently asked questions.

To deliver the curriculum, teachers accessed the online portal through their Education Management Information System (EMIS) login IDs directly from computer labs in schools.

However, school heads reported that while the online portal remains active, classes are now rarely held. Although both teachers and students were actively involved during the first two years, the absence of an allocated period over the past year has severely disrupted learning.

"In the first two years, there were dedicated periods for the subject, and students and teachers were keen on taking them," a headmaster said. "In the past year, there is no allocated period and the classes are taken for students during the hi-tech lab period. But there are several other activities and assignments that students take during these periods."

Infrastructure troubles have compounded the scheduling issues. Teachers said that after maintenance firm L&T’s contract to maintain the school hi-tech labs ended last year, several computer systems were left non-functional without technical support.

Teachers highlighted that the labs now suffer from critical equipment and infrastructure shortages. "There are connectivity issues and inadequate number of UPS," teachers said, noting that without functional systems, power backup, and internet connectivity, the state's spoken English initiative has lost its voice.