CHENNAI: "See more dark clouds in the sky! Look at the lightning in the distance! The rhythm of thunder is unmistakable. Let us laugh uproariously! Let us make paper boats and have fun without worry!” These lines are written by Ashika, a class 8 student at a government higher secondary school. The poem is published in one of the magazines of the School Education Department of Tamil Nadu (SEDTN).
SEDTN provides a platform for students to showcase their talents by bringing out two juvenile magazines — Pudhu Oonjal and Thenchittu. In October 2022, Chief Minister MK Stalin unveiled the magazines. Pudhu Oonjal is available for classes 4 and 5 while Thenchittu is for classes 6 to 9, and aims to inculcate reading habits among students. The magazines provide a prospect for the children to delve into their thinking beyond academics. Both magazines are being published from January 2023, each containing 24 pages. As they say, a child’s mind is a tabula rasa (a blank slate) that wants to learn new things. The magazines provide the students a platform to learn and grow.
What started as an effort to provide short stories for students to read has now transformed into a space where students have been contributing creatives and drawings since March 2023. According to the Education Management Information Systems (EMIS), a printed copy of the magazine is provided to each section of the schools within the state by post.
As Shayitha Kousar, a class 8 student in Velapadi of Vellore says, “I like drawing and Thenchittu helps me exhibit my talent. It is not only my drawing but I am also diligently reading interesting stories, which helps me understand some nuances and important elements. Thus, I am going to write a story myself.”
The students send their creatives by mail to the editorial team with the assistance of their teachers. Children are always keen to learn new and varied things, but some government institutions face challenges due to their limited budget and inferior infrastructure.The Covid-induced lockdowns pressed pause on the academic curriculum, and as students waited for school to resume, their reading and comprehension skills took a hit.
SS Murugesan, a teacher at the Anaiyur government school in Sivakasi recalls the atmosphere at the school, “Following the two-year lockdown, students’ reading habits went into a slump. Many struggle to read fluently. Therefore, we have been asked to encourage students to read books at home.
“The magazines helps them learn things beyond their curriculum.The students are visited by C Mythili Pudukkottai, district coordinator of the magazines, and their feedback is sought.The students are not awarded with rankings but their contribution is reflected in the magazines. No submission is rejected, which helps boost the students’ morale.
As they say, learning increases when it is shared. Similarly, these magazines are not just confined to government schools; even private institutions are showing interest. As a result, the school education department has also extended the subscription system for Pudhu Oonjal and Thenchittu from October 2023 at Rs 200 per magazine per year.Dr D Meenakshi, state coordinator of the magazines says these are student-friendly and that private schools have also approached, looking for a bulk subscription.
Speaking to TNIE, joint director of school education and publisher of children and teachers magazines Dr C Amuthavalli said affordability is a factor when it comes to buying books from private stores. Most students belong to economically weaker sections, due to which their parents are not keen on buying books apart from those needed for the school’s curriculum. “There are 235 student creators in the state who are featured in these magazines,” Dr Amuthavalli adds.
The school education department also publishes a magazine — Kanavur Asiriyar — for teachers. The monthly magazine carries stories about physical problems and other experiences for the teachers to learn from.
(Edited by Srestha Choudhury)