CHENNAI: Five years ago, when I joined Jaigopal Garodia Government Girls Higher Secondary School as the headmistress, I had a vision. I wanted to make the school the best among government schools in the state. The school — both, in terms of infrastructure and academics — was in a bad shape. I put my two decades of experience as a teacher to use and worked my way through making the schooling experience better.
I started from the basics — built 12 new classrooms, brought in all the facilities including lights, fans, desks, benches, boards — all that one needs for a good education. I also ensured the school was clean, green and a conducive place for children to study. I still remember working from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm. I even braved the 2015 floods, stayed in school despite the knee-deep water to safeguard the equipment and other essentials which we had just sourced.
The first year, my entire focus was on improving the infrastructure. Once that was done, I turned my attention to academics. Most students here are first-generation learners and are from the economically weaker strata. Their parents go for daily wage jobs every morning and return home only late in the evening. Even when we conduct parent-teacher meets, they don’t understand a lot about their child’s academic progress. So, we have the duty of stepping into their shoes as a parent and giving the best to children.
When I came here, I was told that students from a certain section in the school were more prone to failing in English. I was a PG English teacher. So, I took it as a challenge to make them pass and they did! In the last five years, the pass percentage has shot up from 96% to 98%.
I believe anyone can learn and achieve. This ideology comes from personal experience. I am from Chandigarh and my father, who was also a teacher always dreamt of me becoming a bank probationary officer. But my dream was to become a college lecturer, which I eventually did. I was an assistant professor for a while. But later, I ended up writing the banking exam and in 1988, I became a probationary officer in State Bank of Patiala.
I got married to an IAS officer who belonged to the Tamil Nadu Cadre. After the birth of my two children — in 1990 and 1993, respectively — I quit my job. When my husband was posted in Tirunelveli, I serendipitously came across a place where correspondence B.Ed classes were being conducted. I enrolled myself, cleared the exams and applied for a job. Since I was in Tamil Nadu, a teaching job in a government school mandated that I know Tamil. So, for a year, I studied meticulously to learn the language. Now, I can read and talk Tamil fluently. This is when I realised anyone can learn anything if they have the will and motivation.
That’s why I never give up on anyone — every student has his/her own ability and way of learning and it is our duty to tap into their potential. It was the same belief that made me include children with special needs in our school. The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan gave the school a resource centre with aids for all special children. From a student strength of 2,342 in 2014, we have now grown to 2,857. Everyone — from the Corporation, teachers, staff to students — have played an important role in its development.
I am a crusader of environment. The children of today are the custodians of tomorrow’s world. So, in pursuit of a better future, from 2015 we started raising a nursery of 2,500 varieties of plants. It was donated to the Tree Bank Foundation. Now, since there’s a severe water shortage, we have switched to creating kitchen gardens. They are the babies of our students.
From being recognised as ‘Green Champions’, getting awarded by the state government, receiving the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar to recently securing ISO certification, we have come a long way. My aim has always been about achieving academic results while providing a good experience to the students and teachers, in the process. I still remember my English teacher from school. The same way, I want our students to cherish their days here — the school, teachers, and classrooms. That’s what success is all about. I retire this month and the journey has been extremely joyful and satisfying. I am ready to pass the baton.