Kochi: After government schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas in the state may go for bio-toilets from the next academic session as part of the new ‘National School Sanitation Initiative’ (NSSI) being implemented by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.
“We’re going to implement the NSSI drive in schools in the region from the next academic session (2014-15) onwards. The initiative is aimed at having better sanitation in schools and also to inculcate good sanitation habits among the children. However, since schools in the region have excellent sanitation and safe drinking water provisions, we’re thinking of additional initiatives like introducing bio-toilets and e-toilets”, said D.Prabhakaran, Assistant Commissioner, Kendriya Vidhyalaya, Kochi region.
The e-toilets are fully automated and equipped with a mechanism for floor cleaning and regulating water supply.
An e-toilet occupies around 20 sq ft and has two doors — a sliding door at the front, and a normal door ahead of the toilet. When the sliding door is opened, the light and the exhaust fan come on.
Inside the toilet there is a bucket, mug and all other items. In case the user does not flush the toilet after use, the system automatically does all the cleaning operations.
There are a total of 37 schools under the Ernakulam region. The surprise inspections by commissioners in the regional office revealed that most of them had “satisfactory” sanitation conditions and were far ahead when compared to schools in other states. This made the authorities think of the high-tech toilets.
KVS Additional Commissioner Dinesh Kumar has sent a circular to all regions asking the regional commissioner or additional commissioner to give suitable directions to all principals of KVs to ensure proper sanitation in toilets and arrangements for clean and safe drinking water for students.
They should also be trained in good sanitation habits.
“It has been observed that quite a good number of schools do not meet standards of sanitation and provision of clean and safe drinking water for students. A compiled report on sanitation facility, safe drinking water and online ratings done by KVs of your region may be informed to the KVS headquarters every quarter,” the circular reads.
The officials attribute the high standard of schools in the region to the efforts of teachers and parents.
“Here parents are very much concerned about the hygiene of their wards. And thanks to the decentralization process of late, the principals can take a decision on infrastructure enhancement at their own level. During the surprise inspections, we found that most of the schools have good structure with clean toilets. And they have employed outside agencies for their regular upkeep,” the officer said.
“We’ve entrusted an outside agency to clean and maintain the school infrastructure. The expense in this regard will be met from the ‘Vidhyalaya Vikas Nidhi’ fees. The staff from the agency cleans the school and the premises for three hours after class hours daily. Even the water tank has to be cleaned every month and the date due for the next cleaning should be mentioned. Also three big water purifiers have been fitted so that students get enough and clean drinking water,” said Raju P.G., staff of Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, Naval Base.
Next: A film against the ugly truths of life
A film against the ugly truths of life
T Sudheesh | DC
Alappuzha: With incidents of abuse of children and women on the rise in the state, the Alappuzha district panchayat plans to screen a short film, Akamporul (Inner truth) in 190 schools as part of its campaign against the trend.
Chairperson of the district panchayat standing committee on education, K G Rajeswari, says the short film could be more effective than conducting awareness classes on the subject for students.
“A study conducted by the district panchayat in schools found that since the children were influenced by parents and friends, verbal campaigning among them is proving ineffective. The visuals can provoke the children to think. And this is why the panchayat has approved the novel short film campaign,” she explains.
The core theme of the film is tailored to nudge children into being pro-active instead of becoming victims of abuse. Directed by Muhammed Rafi of Mannar, the short film focuses on the helplessness of an autistic child.
Each frame tells a story of the neglect and pain such children suffer at the hands of their families and society. Actress Sona Nair plays an important role in the hour-long movie.
S. Sindhu, a teacher with Nair Samajam HSS, Mannar, who wrote the script for the film, says she developed the story from her experience as a counsellor. “I have been working as a resource person and counsellor for the last six years in the district. I have handled hundreds of students and this helped me write the script,” she says.
The film will be screened in schools with the support of the students’ protection clubs in the presence of a resource person. After the screening, a discussion based on the film will be conducted in all schools as part of the campaign.
As the project is intended to allow children and parents to share their personal problems with counsellors and psychologists after watching the film, the panchayat plans to select about 66 resource persons among teachers in the 11 sub-districts to help with this, says Rajeshwari.
Next: This school’s target: Well-rounded pupils
This school’s target: Well-rounded pupils
Sham Mohammed | DC
Kollam: If you happen to visit the Siddhartha Central School in Pallimon, Kollam you could come across a group of students firing at targets with real air guns.
A well equipped firing range in its grounds allows almost five students to practice at a time twice a week.
Run by the ‘Siddhartha Foundation’, an NGO, the school believes in turning out well rounded students.
A school girl along with her friend of the Siddhartha Central School at Pallimon in Kollam refines her shooting skills on a target during a practise session
“Shooting can help develop concentration and self-esteem in a person. The school's target clubs aims at the overall development of a student including his physique. A strong mind is always in a strong body,” says Suresh Siddhartha, founder secretary of the foundation, which plans to establish an advanced shooting range of international standards, the first of its kind in the state, in the near future.
Members of the school's target club are given physical training, which includes yoga sessions and concentration exercises prior to the shooting practice.
At the firing range the students are taken through the five steps of standing in position, holding the gun, breathing and aiming, firing, and then following through.
Based on their performance, they are assessed as beginners, medium shooters, average shooters, advanced shooters, sharp shooters, expert shooters, and master shooters.
The accuracy with which they are able to shoot the target marked with concentric circles that provide the points earned out of 100 gives their trainers an indication of how far they have progressed.
Besiding shooting , the school also trains its students in bio-farming and other social activities, including publishing of the literary magazine ‘Kabani.’
Next: Wowing kids: Book vehicle that travels with a message
Wowing kids: Book vehicle that travels with a message
Abhish K Bose | DC
Kottayam: In a bid to develop the reading habit among students of schools and colleges in the district, a Pusthaka Vandi (vehicle of books) has started its journey on Wednesday.
The vandi will visit two hundred schools and colleges in the district, and the volunteers who travel in it will interact with the students. There will be on-the-spot quiz contests on books and authors and prizes will be distributed. Reading sessions will also be organised.
Curiously though, the vehicle does not carry any books. It is just that the vehicle is embellished in such a way, with huge cut outs of books on top, to attract the attention of children.
MP Dinesh, district police officer along with hundereds of school students flags off the Pusthakavandi, which will travel to 200 schools in a run up to the Darsana book fest which will begin on January 31
“This is a run up to the Darsana book fest which will begin on January 31. We want to instill in the students an urge to read books,” says A.P. Thomas who travels in the Pusthaka Vandi.
On Wednesday, the vehicle had stops at the MD Higher secondary school, Kottayam, St Joseph’s girls high school, Lourdhe public school, Chinmaya school, MT higher secondary school and NSS high school.
“At every venue, someone will speak to the students on the importance of the reading habit,” says Thomas. Dr Paul Manalil and Ajithan Namboothiri were among the speakers on Wednesday.
Next: Rooting out the fear of grammar
Rooting out the fear of grammar
Pooja Nair | DC
Kozhikode: Language teachers have a habit of waxing eloquent on the importance of grammar and usage, punctuations and pronunciation.
But more often than not, this causes a kind of anxiety and fear, especially when the students are trying to learn an alien language like English. A few teachers in Peruvayil are attempting to teach language differently.
The teachers at the Baba Global School at Peruvayil in Kozhikode have come up with a new approach to language learning.
According to them, language is the first thing a child learns at school, but if it is served to them in a complicated way, how can we expect them to not only learn and but also to love it. So, cutting off the typical academic procedures and jargon, the teachers came up with the idea of teaching students language in a simple manner.
Alexander Valakom, director of the school, said, “We are training students in language, keeping in mind the use of it when they venture into the world rather than just for academic purpose.”
Said Valakom, “Teaching students the principles of grammar first creates fear among them. Since language is not the product of grammar, we at Baba Global are trying to make students understand what language means. This process will help students to pick up any language easily. In fact, we guarantee our students that they will be able to learn any language in just 150 hours,” he added. “We believe that the letter was born before grammar.”
The school functions under the National Child Development Council (NCDC), a Central Government affiliated NGO headquartered in Delhi. For many years it has been involved in teacher training.
Next: A poetic ode to CM Chandy
A poetic ode to CM Chandy
Sabloo Thomas | DC
Thiruvananthapuram: The chief minister has his share of admirers and critics but he has come in for some wholesome praise from a plus two student of Cotton Hill Higher Secondary School in the capital.
The girl named Safwana N, has in fact brought out an anthology of poems in praise of Oommen Chandy titled ‘Kunjukunjinoru kunjupakaram’.
In the first poem, she notes in verse that the various nations of the world are looking with great interest at the tiny state of Kerala, thanks to the efforts of the CM. The other qualities that have attracted her to the CM are his calmness and patience.
This is the fifth anthology of poetry brought out by the young poet.
Latin Catholic Arch Bishop M. Soosaipakiam in the message included in the anthology notes that the readers will not only get to see Safwana’s experiences but their own in the poems.
There is a message from Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development Sashi Tharoor who observes that the poems represent the ethos of the present era.
Cotton Hill Higher Secondary School Principal S. Mini, on her part, wishes that the poetic genius find its full expression in due course of time.
