VIRUDHUNAGAR : The smooth, wide lanes of NH 44 near Ettanayakanpatti village pose a formidable challenge for the children commuting to Government High School, Pattampudur. These students, with their tender feet, bravely traverse the busy four-lane highway daily. While the highway facilitates travel for many, it instils fear in the hearts of these residents. The school, situated on the opposite end of the village, necessitates this daunting journey.
Due to the lack of bus facilities during school hours, finding an alternative transport to send their children to school was an uphill task for the parents. At this juncture, the GH school’s Headmaster P Thiruselvaraja came up with an initiative to provide van service to end the woes of parents and students. The 52-year-old purchased two vans last year to provide pick-and-drop services to the students of more than seven villages in and around the school. He also designated drivers for the vans, who cover around a 10-kilometre radius with five trips to the school every working day, thereby ensuring safe and hassle-free travel for the students. A minimal van fare is collected and given as a salary to the drivers. Other expenses including fuel and maintenance costs are taken care of by him.
With fast-moving cars and overcrowded buses, the four lanes of NH44 near Ettanayakanpatti village have been busiest on all days packed with vehicles. This poses a significant challenge to the students and the villagers, many of whom are daily wage labourers. After ensuring their children reach the government high school safely, their parents often struggle to commute to work on time due to the heavy traffic. For M Muneeshwaran (39), the father of a 14-year-old class nine student Mahalakshmi, sending his daughter in an autorickshaw was challenging due to high costs. While Muneeshwaran is a driver, his wife works at a cracker unit. The couple has three children. “Amidst meeting our everyday family expenses, we had no option but to pay Rs 700 per month as auto fare. Some auto rickshaws used to swarm many students in one vehicle, putting their lives in danger,” Muneeshwaran said.
Speaking to TNIE, Thiruselvaraja said that promoting education was the motive behind his initiative. “Most of the villagers in the area come from economically weaker sections, who try to sustain their minimal income by working at factories of match works, cracker units, and construction firms. I wanted to ensure that every child in the area pursues a high-quality education in government schools. Moreover, I wanted to eliminate the barriers that parents were facing for the children’s education,” he said. By focusing on improving educational opportunities, he aimed to create a more conducive environment for learning and development within the village.
The high school has 244 students, providing schooling for students from class 6 to class 10. Since assuming the role of headmaster in 2015, Thiruselvaraja has led the school with unwavering dedication. Thanks to his efforts coupled with the support of the teaching staff, the school has achieved a remarkable feat of a 100% pass rate since 2015. Beyond academic subjects, Thiruselvaraja has ensured that students receive training in a variety of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities including dance, debate, and folklore. This holistic approach has paid off, with many students excelling and winning prizes in district and state-level competitions.
In addition, Thiruselvaraja set up a garden in 2018 inside the school premises to ensure a healthy lifestyle for the students. “Fruits like lemon, guava, and pomegranate along with seasonal vegetables are being cultivated regularly. The harvested vegetables are supplied to the school’s mid-day meal scheme culinarians who include the produce in the children’s meals,” he said.
U Raghavan (12), a class 8 student of Ramakudumbanpatti said, “I have been availing van service since last year and it saves a lot of time for me to return home.”
Being a familiar face in the students’ corners, the headmaster has also assisted them in picking a workplace and career.
(Edited by Srestha Choudhury)