THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A student who struggles with academics may still have a talent waiting to be discovered. Inspired by former President A P J Abdul Kalam’s belief in the potential of students, ‘Agniparavakal’ seeks to help them discover their strengths, build confidence and acquire practical skills in 100 days. The general education department has approved a pilot at Manjeri GVHSS, Malappuram, formally integrating the initiative into the school education system.
Conceived by Fazil E, former state programme coordinator of VHSE-NSS, the programme was first introduced in 2021 at Mattancherry MMO VHS School in Ernakulam. “The idea was to help students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or facing academic and behavioural challenges, discover that their abilities extend beyond their report cards,” Fazil told TNIE.
The initiative was subsequently extended to Thycaud Boys HSS in Thiruvananthapuram, where it targeted students facing academic or behavioural challenges through mentoring, motivation and confidence-building.
‘Agniparavakal’ draws inspiration from Kalam’s autobiography, ‘Wings of Fire’, and holds the message that a child’s future should not be limited by academic labels. Sometimes, all a student needs is the chance to discover what they can do and the confidence to give it a try.
The programme rests on a simple premise: every child has strengths, but not every child gets the opportunity to recognise them. Over 100 days, students will be encouraged to explore their interests, set personal goals, develop skills and learn by doing than merely listening. While students with varying academic abilities will be included, the programme will place emphasis on those who struggle academically or face other challenges.
The journey is divided into four phases. The first 20 days will help students identify their strengths, interests and aspirations. The next 25 days will focus on life skills and well-being, covering communication, financial discipline, cyber safety and anti-drug awareness. The following 35 days will take learning beyond textbooks through vocational mini-projects, design thinking and entrepreneurship-related activities.
The final 20 days will give students an opportunity to showcase what they have learnt through digital portfolios, project presentations and demonstrations of their skills. “Their progress will be evaluated, with an ‘Agniparavakal VHSE Conclave’ marking the programme’s end,” said Azhar M A, deputy director (curriculum), general education department.
There is more to this than improving classroom performance. Career guidance, vocational skills, industry interaction, work-based learning, financial literacy, mental well-being, leadership and social responsibility are among its 17 areas of focus.
100-day plan
1-20: Discover strengths, interests and set goals for students.
21-45: Build life skills, well-being and financial discipline.
46-80: Apply skills through vocational projects, enterpreneurship.
81-100: Showcase projects, portfolios and acquired skills.
Aim: Shape careers, employability, leadership and social responsibility
