Four government schools in the district are pepping up their Russian language classes with some authentic Russian culture, courtesy the Russian Cultural Centre here.
The cultural centre, which falls under the culture wing of the Russian Embassy, is supplementing the language classes in these schools with screenings of classic Russian films, interactions with Russian visitors, quiz events and exhibitions to help the students know Russia and the Russian culture better.
The programme, a part of the ‘Russian Language 2011-2015’ initiative of the Russian government, was inaugurated at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattom, the other day.
After the function, part I of the Russian film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s classic ‘War and Peace’ was screened.
‘’Now, only the Russian language is being taught in these schools. In fact, most of the students never even get to meet a Russian. You also need to know something about a nation itself and its culture to understand its language better. That’s what we are trying to do through this programme,’’ Russia’s honorary consul in Thiruvananthapuram Ratheesh C Nair said.
According to him, more than 500 students in the 11th and 12th classes in four government schools - SMV School in the city; Government GHSS Pattom; Girls’ High School Manacaud; and the GHS at Vellanad - study Russian as a second language.
“Most school and college-going students select a foreign language as their second language to score high in the examinations. But our idea is that the students should continue studying the language. The programmes included in Russian Language 2011-2015 are so designed to help the students preserve their interest in the language,” the honorary consul said.
Cultural events organised at the four schools apart, the students will also have a chance to meet visitors from Russia, and attend various events organised by the Russian Cultural Centre in the city.
The centre will soon extend the programme to the other three schools also, Ratheesh C Nair said.