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Tamil Nadu News Papers - Education - TNIUS Coimbatore

Smart Brain Classroom project in Corpn. schools

Monday, 28 October 2013 05:01 administrator
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The Hindu              28.10.2013

Smart Brain Classroom project in Corpn. schools

R. Sairam

Special classes for weak students are almost crammed with lessons. If the students happen to be from class X, who will be facing the public examinations, they will probably not have the time to even breathe with teachers not tolerating any distraction. However, breaking away from this punitive approach, the Coimbatore Corporation has adopted a novel approach where motivating students is the top priority.

Taken up as a pilot project covering 48 students of class X drawn from six Corporation schools, the ‘Smart Brain Classroom’ project, implemented by American India Foundation (AIF), takes a new approach. Under this, the first 30 minutes of each special class is set aside for innovative exercises that develop the self-confidence of students. Only after this session does the coordinator take up academics.

This approach, K. Gangadevi of the Corporation Girls High School, Puliyakulam, says, has helped students develop a positive approach to studies. With the special classes being completely different from regular ones, the students look forward to attending them.

Her classmate R. Helen Fathima says the subjects are shown visually with the help of a projector, which makes the lessons easier to understand. P. Pavitra, AIF training coordinator, says exercises such as smiling contests are held. Students also discuss their favourite activities with an aim to improve their self-esteem. This has had a profound positive impact on their academic performance. V. Alexander, AIF Regional Coordinator (TN), Digital Equalizer, says individual interviews were held with all 48 students to ascertain their mindset and identify the problems affecting their studies. They were chosen based on their performance in the quarterly examinations held in September. The special classes are held twice a week and will run for 12 weeks with assessment tests held on a weekly basis. Around 2,300 students are taking the class X board examinations in the 27 Corporation schools in the present academic year. The six schools chosen for the project are Corporation Girls High School, Puliakulam, Corporation Higher Secondary School, Selvapuram, Corporation SRP Ammaniammal Higher Secondary School, R.S. Puram, Corporation High School, K.K. Pudur, Corporation High School, Maniyakaranpalayam and Corporation High School, Kovilmedu.

The Corporation had inked a three-year MoU (2012-15) with the AIF to implement a ‘Digital Equaliser’ Programme in all the 10 high schools, 16 higher secondary schools, and one special school of the civic body.

Under this project, the first 30 minutes of each special class is set aside for innovative exercises.

 

Corporation schools set to nurture accountants

Monday, 07 October 2013 07:34 administrator
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The New Indian Express           07.10.2013

Corporation schools set to nurture accountants

Experts from the Southern India Regional Council of Institute of Cost Accountants of India will provide coaching on ICWA to students who have completed plus two from corporation schools in the city from November.

A total of 15 schools have been identified, and the coaching will be provided to them for two hours on a daily basis, after class hours. The coaching will help them take up their Institute of Cost Accountants of India examination, the first step to become a cost accountant. A total of 30 students will be tutored at each centre including 20 school students and 10 outsiders.

The initiative was borne out of a suggestion of Mayor Saidai S Duraiswamy to the SIRC-ICAI. The Mayor had suggested that the organization should do something for the benefit of students from Chennai Corporation schools.

P Raju Iyer, chairman of the organization said, “The Mayor felt that we should do something for their benefit. Following this, we decided to undertake a survey and a feasibility study of the schools.”

The survey and interactions with students proved to be an eye-opener to them as far as the perception of corporation schools were concerned. “While the perception is that students here are generally not bright, we found the reality to be otherwise.

Many people do not know the difference between chartered and cost accountancy, but here the students were well informed about even the groups that they want to pursue, and the duration needed for completing them. In short, all they need is proper guidance.”

In addition, they were also aware of the costs involved. In lighter vein, he added that this in itself qualified them to become cost accountants, for that would be their role in the corporate set-up- suggesting ways to reduce operational costs and keeping an eye on them.

As a pilot project, the classes would commence in 15 schools, including those near Ice House, Panagal Park and W Mambalam. The students would be charged a nominal sum of Rs 4,000 for the coaching. Scholarships or refunds are provided to SC and ST students, he added.

Deputy director of ICAI-SIRC, K Shanmugam, too exuded confidence at the initiative, adding that it was the interest levels of the students that encouraged them.

To become a cost accountant, one must clear the inter and final stages of study comprising two groups each, after the ICWA stage. This would take a minimum of two-and-half years.

 

Civic body-run schools to get generators soon

Monday, 23 September 2013 04:05 administrator
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The Hindu               23.09.2013 

Civic body-run schools to get generators soon

Staff Reporter

The erratic power situation in the State has hit many institutions hard, and schools are some of the worst hit.

To cope with disruptions in power supply, the Chennai Corporation has begun efforts to get generators for its schools.

Tenders have been floated for the installation of 20 KVA/30 KVA/62.5 KVA generators in eight schools in Anna Nagar at an estimated cost of Rs. 33 lakh. Eleven schools in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar will receive 10 KVA/20 KVA/ 30 KVA/ 62.5 KVA generators at a cost of Rs. 54 lakh, a senior Corporation official said.

Another 11 schools in Teynampet will get 20 KVA/62.5 KVA generators at a cost of Rs. 47 lakh. All Chennai High and Higher Secondary Schools in other zones will also get generators. A number of private schools in the city use 10 KVA to 50 KVA generator sets. Bigger educational institutions use sets with capacities of 50 KVA to 500 KVA.

The initiative to get generators was announced a few months ago by the Corporation, in the wake of a number of power cuts. Most Chennai Schools have inadequate ventilation and poor lighting because of a lack of planning of the structures. With power cuts disrupting supply, teachers have reported serious difficulties in the process of teaching and getting students to carry out learning activities. Unscheduled power cuts have also affected students in the laboratory.

As the civic body is planning to begin smart classrooms in its schools, the generators will be essential to their functioning, the official said.

 
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