CHENNAI: Forty students from four schools in Singapore landed up at the Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School (MCCHS) here on Monday to explore the Tamil way of life.
These students will be here for the next two days to see for themselves the classrooms and other infrastructure,and understand the curricular, co-curricular and extra curricular activities in Tamil Nadu.
“Here they will get an exposure to Tamil arts, folk-lore and some games unique to Tamil Nadu. These students are the decedents of Tamil people settled in Singapore. They study the language in their schools as second language,” said Ms Muthu, a teacher accompanying the students.
Besides, the students will get an opportunity to visit the houses of some of the students at MCCHS. “A student from our school will take a group of these Singapore students to his house, where they will get an exposure to a Tamil home. As these children know Tamil well, they will be able to interact with their new found buddy’s relatives and friends,” said KM Sankar, assistant headmaster, MCCHS.
Though a few of them had been to the city before, many of them are here of the first time. “I had come here a few years ago and again I am thrilled to be here with my friends,” said Ali, a student from Singapore.
The students will spend about five hours with their friends from 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm and return to the hotels where they are put up.
“I am just waiting to go to my buddy Satya’s house and see what he has kept in store for us,” said Kathiresan, another student. While Satya, a resident of Anna Nagar said that he was equally excited about taking to his new friends at his house.
These students arrived in Chennai on Saturday. “We went to places like Mahabalipuram, Dakshinchitra and Golden Temple in Vellore. Our programme at the school will be over by Tuesday and then we will visit other tourist places,” added Ms Muthu.