THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government UP and Nursery school, Chalai, has got a makeover. The students have a smart classroom. It was a gift by the family of a former teacher, OK Kunjan. The overall cost was Rs 1.5 lakh.
Kunjan worked as a teacher for 18 years, starting in 1974. He passed away in 2002. His wife Saraswati is also a former teacher of the school. Together, they have contributed a major part of their lives to working for the welfare of the students. There were also endowments in memory of Kunjan.
When Kunjan’s daughter Ramya was studying in the school, her father made an important contribution.
“We used to be served kanji for lunch. At one point, my father took the initiative of providing a healthier and more complete meal. After taking it up with the officials, we were provided with rice and curry for lunch every day. This was a memorable event for all the students and teachers at that time,” said Ramya.
The idea of the smart classroom came up when the family started seeing news on TV about a lot of schools being digitalised.
“We wanted the school to have this facility so that it can compete with other schools and provide a more complete form of education,” said Ramya.
Beena Sarojam V, the headmistress said, “The teachers have been here for a long time. Most of the students are children of people working in nearby shops. They are all looking forward to using this smart class room.”
The chief guest for the occasion was Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, a member of the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family.