CHENNAI: The school education department’s initiative to provide residential school facility in 11 districts for top government school students on a pilot basis has paid off well. Of the 960 students who were part of these schools, more than 150 have scored over 550 (out of 600) in the Class 12 board examination. Another 200 students have scored between 500 and 550.
The scheme is being implemented on a pilot basis in Chennai, Ariyalur Perambalur, Tiruchy, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. There are two schools in Chennai and 80 students in each of the 12 schools, said sources.
The residential schooling scheme for top performers was initiated by the district collectors of Perambalur, Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari in 2012-13. “In the scheme’s very first year, a government school student got admission in a medical college from Perambalur after 1988. The next year, six got medical seats. There were similar results in Ramanathapuram too,” said an official involved in the project.
Last year, the initiative was started in more districts. “The scheme has given good results. It links the best students in a district with the best teachers. The main aim of the scheme is to break the public perception that government school students can’t enter top colleges. The students also attend various entrance examinations,” added the official.
This year, four students from the schools scored centum in physics, 31 in chemistry, 23 in biology and 22 in maths. B Brinda, a residential school student in Villupuram, scored 593 with centums in all the four major subjects.Sources in the school education department said that the scheme will be expanded to 10 more districts in the next academic year.