Chennai: Often one can hear in the school education corridors that headmasters are the difference between a good and bad school. Of 1,813 schools, which have secured 100 per cent results in plus two exams, 292 of them are government schools. This is not a mean achievement considering the hardships the schools have to face.
In SSLC exam, of 5,463 government schools 1,557 schools (28.5 per cent) have achieved 100 per cent results. This year the total pass percentage of the government schools is 91.59 per cent, which is significant considering that the majority of the government schools are in rural areas.
The government school headmasters and department of school education can take a leaf out of the success of government aided middle school in Devakottai in Sivagangai district.
L. Chokkalingam, who assumed charge as the headmaster of Chairman Manicka Vasagam Middle School, Devakottai three years ago has brought a lot of innovative ideas to build confidence among students and create a better learning environment.
“An eighth standard student from our school will know about the functioning of police stations, banks and radio stations. We had taken them to science labs of nearby colleges to motivate them to pursue higher education and horticulture centre to give them exposure on nursing the various plants,” Chokkalingam said.
Last academic year, over 75 personalities from different fields addressed the school students. The school also conducted parent teacher association meeting at residential area of students as their poor parents found it difficult to come to the school for the meeting.
“Students have gained in confidence after various programmes. They also are very keen to participate in all type of competitions,” he said.
The results have started to show. Students from the school are now winning at district and state level competitions. One among the recent initiatives of the school is saving money for a social cause. Government schools will surely be better schools if they adopt some of the initiatives from this small middle school from Sivagangai district.
