CHENNAI: As part of its holistic education programme, the school education department has started extra-curricular classes in 38 government model schools across the state.
Under this, students can learn activities such as silambam, theatre, karate, photography, parai, and storytelling regularly.
According to officials, students choose one area of interest and attend three classes a week dedicated to honing their skills.
The initiative has shown positive results, with numerous students from the model schools excelling in state-level sports competitions as well as art and culture events.
N Sahila from Mukkuvancheri in Ariyalur was among the students who discovered her talent in Silambam following the initiative. She recently got second place in a state-level competition.
“I opted for the model school as it provided a residential facility, saving me from the 17km commute to the nearest English-medium government school from my village. When this programme was introduced, I saw an opportunity to learn self-defence and chose silambam. I am happy I am good at it and was able to win a prize at the state-level competition,” said Sahila.
The model school has helped her develop awareness about various opportunities available, including career opportunities, and he government should expand such schemes to all government schools, she added.
Beyond preparing students for board examinations, model schools also coach class 11 and 12 students to clear entrance exams such as NEET, JEE, and CLAT, among others. While there were 25 model schools earlier, it was increased to 38 this academic year with one school functioning in each district.
“Model schools were started with the majority of students from government schools in the district who are performing well in academics. We didn’t want them to be left behind in sports and extra-curricular activities. Many students feel the programme has helped them relax and focus better,” an official said.