Urban News

The Hindu 25.01.2010

Corporation school teachers’ role commendable

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

CHENNAI: While debates about board examinations constantly focus on the race behind percentile points and the accompanied stress, there are many children for whom appearing for the board examination is itself a measure of achievement.

A large number of underprivileged children in the city continue to be deprived of much-needed attention required during their schooling years. Coping with the demands of the board exam is a bigger challenge for them.

Hence, the role played by Corporation school teachers becomes more visible during the board examination season. “We are focussing on providing self-awareness to the students to tackle the board exam,” said T. Nalinakumari, headmistress of a Corporation High School in Mylapore. Most of the students’ parents are illiterate, she added.

The initiative to distribute free biscuit packets to students in the evening has proved helpful in sustaining the energy levels of the students during exams, said K.Vani, a Corporation school teacher.

An entirely different approach is needed for preparing our students for the board exams, said V. Selvakumar, a teacher of another Corporation school. Some teachers feel that having a counsellor at school and explaining all the challenges that students normally face will help them handle stress better during examination.

According to Chennai Corporation Education Officer Mohana Kumar, instructions have been given to ensure that teachers are not harsh on students for scoring low marks. Underprivileged students need the support of teachers as the role of parents in their education is minimal, he said. Some Corporation schools have started to hold a series of tests based on the board examination pattern, and evaluate the answer-sheets for better feedback. This will give the students more exposure by pointing out their weak and strong areas before appearing for the board exams, said Ms. Nalinakumari.

The Hindu 27.12.2009

Process on for 3 Corporation schools’ accreditation

Deepa H. Ramakrishnan

The quality accreditation will come as a shot in the arm for Chennai Corporation schools. A file photo of class in progress at a Corporation school.

CHENNAI: Three schools of the Chennai Corporation have set in motion the process of getting accreditation from the Quality Council of India for their key processes such as conduct of classes and examinations, teaching methods, utilisation of resources, safety and health and hygiene.

The Corporation Higher Secondary School in Choolaimedu and a high school each in Sharma Nagar and Kolathur have been chosen. The CII Institute of Quality and the Kuruvila Jacob Initiative for Promoting Excellence in School Education, an MCCHS Alumni Initiative, are involved in the programme.

Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said that efforts were under way to get the accreditation before the beginning of the next academic year. “The Kuruvila Jacob Initiative and CII Institute have helped organise students into groups, bring discipline into the schools, improve ambience and involve the parents. In the process, they have helped improve results. Starting with three schools, we will seek accreditation for other schools as well.”

Senior counsellor at CII Institute of Quality A. Senthilkumaran said: “What we have done is to create an environment for learning. Counsellors from the institute only train the teachers, who in turn translate their learning at the schools.”

Parent talk sessions have also been organised in the three schools where parents come and discuss about their vocation. There have been mothers talking about selling ‘idlies’ and juice for a living and fathers who stitch bags.

Beena Gopinath, project coordinator, Kuruvila Jacob Initiative, said that starting in June 2005 the initiative had covered two clusters of 10 Corporation schools each. “We had worked with them for 18 months each. These three schools have been chosen from those 20 in which we have completed work. We are presently working with 10 more schools under the third cluster.”