KOCHI: Igniting young minds with sparks of excitement, the Government LP School, Vennala, has ushered in a modern approach to primary education by implementing the STARS (Strengthening Teaching Learning and Results for States) Varnakoodaram scheme.
Located near Vyttila, the school has undergone a remarkable transformation, with vividly painted walls adorned with a captivating forest theme. The unanimous decision to choose nature as the overarching motif stems from children’s natural curiosity about animals, birds, and fish.
To promote holistic development, thirteen distinct corners, called ‘idam’, have been designed within the school premises. Each corner serves a specific purpose, catering to the students’ varied educational needs.
These corners include the likes of ‘Ganitha Idam’ (Maths), ‘Basha Idam’ (Language), ‘Vayana Idam’ (Reading), ‘Kara Kaushalya Idam’ (Crafts), and ‘Shastra Idam’ (Science). Similar ‘idams’ have been set for gardening, games, music and dance, creativity, and performance.
Special emphasis has been given to sensory learning, too. A sensory tunnel serves as a catalyst for the students’ five senses, featuring textured walls, aromatic stimuli, dimmed lighting, and a variety of sounds. These dedicated spaces facilitate immersive, practical-based learning experiences. For instance, the maths corner equips students with abacus and stencil boards, while the science corner enables them to conduct simple experiments.
Notably, the garden here imparts knowledge about the indigenous Indian ecosystem, complete with a micro waterfall, aquatic plants, and fish, allowing students to learn firsthand about their environment.
“The goal is to establish an environment for pre-primary students where they can study while playing,” says the school’s headmaster, Rajesh PG. “It’s a new concept introduced by the government in a few selected schools. As of now, only four schools in the district have implemented this scheme. Everyone, including parents and teachers, worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality.”
The architect behind this project, Resmi Das, also happens to be the school’s PTA president. “We had to ingeniously utilise the limited space; just four classrooms and a small yard to create these 13 corners,” she says. “What sets our Varnakoodaram apart from others is our use of mural art to depict diverse social elements in line with our forest theme.”