The India Education Awards ceremony - South Zone was held in Chennai on the 11^th of May 2010 to acknowledge and reward the excellent work of teachers-both in government and private schools. The Chief Guest, Thiru M. Kutralingam I A S, Principal Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu presided over the function and gave out the awards.

In her welcome address, EQFI Chairperson, Dr. Anjlee Prakash, spoke on the mission and vision of EQFI to improving quality standards in education, improving learning experiences and enhancing lives. She also spoke in detail about the assessment system for School Accreditation which was based on the statutory compliance and effective leadership of the schools and would lead to a qualitative improvement of their education.

The Chief Guest Mr. Thiru M. Kutralingam in his key note address shared that the State government had been giving a thrust in the area of primary education. An attempt was being made to provide additional infrastructural facilities for a better learning environment. Government schools in the State had been doing consistently well with an increasing pass percentage to be seen.

He also said that the state was experimenting on Activity Based Learning (ABL) which was a child centric system where teachers play the role of facilitators. Accreditations and enhancement of quality under the EQFI would provide an impetus both to educators and prove the way ahead of enhancing education.

He appreciated the efforts of the EQFI which he felt provided a platform to enhance and improve the quality of education of schools in Tamil Nadu and also expressed that a ’Higher quality of education would translate into better quality of life’ and this was the way for India to be successful in the 21^st century.