The Union Government's 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' (education for all) programme would be implemented in 22 districts in Tamil Nadu. The idea was to enrol all school age children within 2003 and ensure that all children in the 6 -11 age group were given five years of education before 2007 and those in the 11-14 age group were given compulsory education upto standard VIII before the end of 2010.