KARUR: "One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world," said Malala Yousafzai, who brought the importance of education to a global level.
A government school headmaster from Thottiyapatti, a remote village in Karur, definitely agrees. He has travelled over 100 km to distribute books and bags to his students who are stranded at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
K Moorthi of Paramathi is the headmaster of a Panchayat Union Primary School (PUPS). He has earned the appreciation and respect of people for going door-to-door and delivering new books to 57 children studying in his school for this academic year.
Thottiyapatti is located in K Paramathi union on the Karur-Tirupur district border. The school had 67 students, but after Class 5 students passed out this year, there are now 57 studying from Classes 2 to 5 for the 2020-21 academic year.
In view of the COVID-19 lockdown and with schools across the State shut, the School Education department had sent books and bags for the 57 students studying in Thottiyapatti PUPS. As the lockdown is in effect and considering the welfare of the children, Moorthi did not ask students and their parents to come to school and collect the books and bags. Instead, he took it upon himself to travel 100 km to distribute the books and bags to students at home.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Moorthi said, "As soon as the books arrived, I decided to distribute them to children myself. After loading all the books, bags and stationery items into my vehicle, I travelled more than 100 km to the 57 students' homes in 13 villages and delivered the books and bags in the presence of their parents. Later, I taught the first lesson in the books to the students in front of their homes on the streets, under the trees and near a temple. I had also reminded them about the lessons taught on Kalvi TV every day from 5 pm to 7 pm."
He said, "I had put forth a request to parents to give updates on WhatsApp about their children's daily homework and their progress. Most of the parents are not well off and could not afford smartphones. Some were not aware of the QR code app. I taught the parents how to instal and use it."
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