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- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

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Positive Reads

Himachal Pradesh Launches ‘My School-My Pride’ Campaign to Transform Government Education System

In a significant move towards transforming the quality of education in government schools, Himachal Pradesh has launched the 'My School-My Pride' campaign. With an aim to align with the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020, this initiative seeks to encourage active participation from individuals and organizations to bring about a positive change in the education system. Revolutionizing Education in Government Schools Under the 'My School-My Pride' campaign, stakeholders will be urged to adopt schools and contribute to various aspects of students' growth. This includes providing career counseling, offering remedial teaching, coaching students for examinations, and engaging in community support services. The campaign also emphasizes the importance of monetary contributions for infrastructure development, event sponsorship, scholarships, and support for the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) program. Active Participation from the Society One of the key features of the campaign is the 'Giving back to society' initiative, which encourages retired teachers, professionals, housewives, or any other member of the society to become part of the academic support team. These individuals will teach students without any payment or honorarium, ensuring continuous academic support during teacher shortages or leaves. Non-academic teams will also contribute to sports, co-curricular activities, skill training, arts, and more. Adoption by Dignitaries and Government Officers To further enhance the campaign's impact, dignitaries, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and government officers are encouraged to adopt at least one government school as patrons. By doing so, they can suggest improvements, stay informed about students' progress, and actively participate in the school's development. Additionally, officers from the education department will act as mentors for specific schools, providing guidance and support. Transparent Monitoring and Accountability To ensure transparency, accountability, and real-time monitoring of activities, the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) will launch an online portal dedicated to the 'Apna Vidyalaya' program. This portal will serve as a platform for stakeholders to track and monitor their contributions and activities related to the adopted schools. Such transparency will help in maintaining the campaign's integrity and effectiveness. Holistic Approach towards Education The 'My School-My Pride' campaign aims to bring about a holistic transformation in the education system. In addition to academic support, it includes the 'systematic adolescent management and value addition dialogue' (SAMVAD) component. This component focuses on educating school-going adolescents on moral values, drug awareness, nutrition, legal knowledge, and empowerment schemes. By addressing these crucial aspects, the campaign strives to create a sustainable model for educational improvement. A Ray of Hope for Government Schools The launch of the 'My School-My Pride' campaign is a significant step towards revitalizing the public education system in Himachal Pradesh. As government schools cater to over 55% of students in the state, this initiative holds the promise of bringing about a positive transformation in their educational experience. By emphasizing community engagement, mentoring, and active participation from various stakeholders, the campaign aims to uplift the quality of education and create a conducive learning environment. The 'My School-My Pride' campaign launched by Himachal Pradesh is a commendable effort to transform the government education system. By promoting active involvement from individuals and organizations, encouraging transparent monitoring, and adopting a holistic approach towards education, this campaign has the potential to bring about a positive and sustainable change in the quality of education in government schools. With the support of the society, government officials, and the education department, Himachal Pradesh is paving the way for a brighter future for its students.

17 Jan 2024
Positive Reads

Star Citizens

A Teacher in Tamil Nadu Builds Toilets so That Girls Don’t Have to Skip School

A teacher in a government school in Tamil Nadu was shocked to know that girls don’t use toilets in school as they are in a very poor and unhygienic condition. The girls therefore skip school during their periods and on other days control their bladder as they have no proper toilets. Satheesh Kumar , a teacher at Poovalur Government Higher Secondary school in Tiruchy was very concerned for the hapless girls and decided to help them out. He initially geared up to make repairs and renovations to the existing toilets, but soon found that his efforts are in vain as 135 students had only one toilet with four cubicles. Kumar realized that the girls used toilets at home just before coming to school at 8 am and would relieve themselves only after going home at 4 pm. He decided to build a new toilet with the award money of Rs 50,000 which he had recently won for best teacher. Many people pitched in with funds to help. He resorted to crowdfunding and received donations from people all over in India. Thanks to his dedicated efforts, the school this month inaugurated a swanky new toilet for girls and female staff which was built at a cost of 10.50 lakhs. The construction of the toilet began in January 2019 and it was ready in November. There are 14 toilets for the girls and four toilets for teachers while one toilet is for the differently-abled. The toilet which is built on an 820-sq. ft area is equipped with a washbasin, napkin vending machines and incinerators. The sensitive and compassionate nature of Satheesh Kumar led him to do a noble act. The girls of the government schools are happy beyond measure. One girl exclaimed that the new toilet is a huge relief for them as they no longer have to control their bladder for eight hours and can henceforth, regularly attend school.   

17 Dec 2019
Star Citizens

Good News

This Young Boy’s Generosity Will Amaze You

One cannot but admire the beautiful mind of 16-year-old K N Tejas who offered the prize money of six lakhs that he won in a reality show, to his school so that a compound could be built around it to stave off the cattle who damage the newly planted saplings in the school. Tejas, class X, is a student of Government High School in Kattaya. His father is a farmer and his mother works as a cook in a government school. A few days ago, a crew of a TV reality show visited the school to select students for an episode. Tejas was fortunate to make the cut because, in the show, he was able to answer 11 of the 15 questions entitling him to prize money of 6.4 lakhs. Tejas was always annoyed at the cattle that ate away the newly planted saplings in his school. He therefore, offered his prize money to the school to build a compound wall around it. As media reports about the boy’s success and his decision on the prize money became viral, education minister S Suresh Kumar on Tuesday directed the Hassan Zilla Parishad chief executive officer and deputy director of public instruction to take up the compound work of the school. The minister praised Tejas for his generosity and asked authorities to meet his family at his residence. Tejas who aspires to become a doctor had said that if any amount is left of the prize money, he would want to spend it on his sister’s marriage. The authorities visited Tejas at his residence and told him to utilize the prize money for his further studies and sister’s marriage. The Zilla Panchayat assured that a Rs 20 lakh grant would be released to build a compound for the school. Image Source: India Today

8 Nov 2019
Good News

Students Imbibe Lessons in Honesty With This Out of the Box Initiative

A government school in Tamil Nadu has come up with a novel way of imparting lessons in honesty to students. The initiative has not only transformed children but has also thought them the value of money. Some lessons are best taught to children in a practical way. The Stationary Shop The stationary shop opened at Union Middle School in Pudukkottai sets forth lessons in honesty. A shop has been opened in the school that contains stationary books, pens, pencils etc. which are labeled with price tags, but there is no vendor. Students can take whatever items they want and deposit the appropriate amount of money in a box kept for that purpose. There will be no one at the shop to monitor their transactions. Life Lessons Learnt This initiative is the brainchild of Mekala, a Mathematics teacher who said that the idea is to teach children life-oriented lessons. When they do not have the exact amount for a product, then they learn to get balance amount for it. Thus they also apply what they learn in class at the store. If there is demand for a particular book or any other item, teachers ensure that they keep a stock of it. Every month, there is a sale of Rs 1,000-Rs 1,200 at the store. Parents are happy about the honesty store as it inculcates in their children valuable lessons of truth and honesty. One parent even said that such lessons will help shape their career drastically.  

5 Nov 2019
Good News

This Unique Class Is Making a Spectacular Impact on Students

During a conversation between the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the education minister Manish Sisodia, the topic of student’ well being emerged. They pondered that they have taken many steps to renovate school buildings, reinvigorate teachers and improve exam results, but nothing is being done to make children better human beings. This thought stayed with Manish Sisodia for a long time and it finally culminated into the commencement of happiness class in Delhi’s government schools. This model is having a great impact and is attended by almost 8 lakh students for one period every day. What Is The Happiness Class The inspiration of happiness class came from Vipassana courses and coexistence-based Jeevan Vidya workshop, which looks at all the aspects of education and life very critically and discusses it very scientifically. The content of happiness class was built by a joint team of twenty Delhi government teachers, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) lecturers and principals, some reputed individuals and organizations working in the area of child psychology. The course is based on Indian thought and education which is thought in a scientific way. The happiness class is conducted through the medium of mindfulness meditation, inspirational stories to make children responsible and mature and activity-oriented discussions where children study their own thoughts and reactions scientifically. Impact On Children It has been only one year since the happiness class has been introduced, but parents and teachers have noticed a considerable change in the behavior of children. Teachers stated that some students who were aggressive have become calm. The level of concentration of students has also increased. They have become more caring and sensitive to others and show a lot of love and respect. It has helped in the development of a mindset in the students to be positive and creative. Education should not be about turning children into bookworms, rather it should be able to bring out the best in every child and improve their well being. The happiness class is certainly making a positive impact and should be adopted by all schools across India.

18 Sep 2019
Good News

A Transformation through Persistent Efforts

The Government Higher Secondary School at Panjal near Wadakanchery in Kerala was a mediocre school with dwindling admissions and lack of proper facilities. It took the consistent and dedicated efforts of teachers, parents and social activists together to bring the 85-year-old school back on track and make it one of the best government schools in Kerala. In 2000, the school had only 651 students. Admission rate was falling and the SSLC pass percentage was only 20. Now, after a decade of launching an academic improvement programme by teachers, parents and social activists in 2007,  the SSLC pass percentage has been 100 for the past two years. Student population also increased to 2,232 out of which 1,356 belong to BPL category. T I Yousaff, who won the best teacher award for his role in transforming the school, said that in the months preceding exams, classes begin at 7.30am and end by 6 pm. The school also began a screening process to identify poor performers and train them separately. The infrastructure of the school has increased to a great extent. It has got funds for the construction of a new building. The school now has an excellent library that houses 30,000 books. It also provides newspapers each day and at a time 65 students can read the different papers that have been subscribed.  Teachers themselves purchased 400 chairs for the school. There is a need to replace the tin sheet roofs over some classes as well as secure bus service for the school. With the speed at which transformation is taking place, the principal is confident that these issues will also be resolved without delay.  

6 Oct 2017
Good News

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