CHENNAI: Once a thriving hub of education in Kancheepuram district, Chunambedu Higher Secondary School now finds itself grappling with an unsettling decline. Once home to thousands of students, the school’s enrolment had dwindled to just 200 by 2020, a stark contrast to its vibrant past. The infrastructure is crumbling, and the school that once boasted itself of providing education to thousands of students, is now struggling to maintain its legacy.
Yet, the school’s alumni refused to watch their school slowly fading into a world where private schools were being prioritised over government schools. Determined to restore its former glory, they have come together to form an alumni forum of 600 members that is trying to provide a new life to the institution. They relentlessly campaigned in the surrounding village and spread awareness about the school’s legacy and quality of education provided by the government. The efforts were successful, with the student enrolment doubling the next year and now standing at nearly 500.
The school, which later became the lighthouse for the students, guiding and shaping their future, was initially set up to educate the children of those working under the Chunambedu zamin. Back then, the school operated in three separate sheds, one for boys, one for girls and a separate one for Dalit students. However, in 1936, these divisions were abolished when the school was brought under the district education authorities, uniting all students under one roof. By 1952, Chunambedu had grown into one of the largest schools in the district, boasting over 1,000 students with 22 teachers. It was upgraded to a higher secondary school in 2001. But in the decades that followed, enrolment began to decline, the trend that the alumni has reversed now.
For many alumni, this school is the place that shaped their lives and gave them the light of knowledge. Viduthalai Chezhiyan, a key member of the alumni forum, recalls joining Class 1 in the school in 1974. Coming from a struggling family, where he was the only one among three brothers to receive education, the school became his second home. “I owe everything to my school. My teachers not only taught me, but paid for my school trips, bought my notebooks and even gave me money for haircuts when my family couldn’t afford it,” he said.
His gratitude runs so deep that he has even tattooed the initials of his middle school teacher, KM Chandraraman, who shared his lunch with him every day. Excelling in both academics and sports, Chezhiyan now considers it his duty to give back to the school. The alumni forum has taken up the responsibility of renovating the compound wall while also paying remuneration for three temporary teachers. The government school in Chunambedu is one among 2,211 government schools in the state that have stood the test of time, serving their communities for over a century.
Evolving history of education dating back to Sangam era
The legacy of such government schools is deeply rooted in Tamil Nadu’s long and evolving history of education, which dates back to ancient times and has been shaped by various cultural and colonial influences. The history of education in the state dates back to the Sangam era, which is reflected in ancient Tamil literature. Poems in texts like ‘Purananuru’ and ‘Tirukkural’ teach the importance of education, often highlighting knowledge as a path to wisdom and social progress. The Tamil word ‘Palli’, commonly used to refer to schools today, has roots of the Jain influence on early Tamil education. Originally meaning “resting place” or “bed,” palli referred to the place in caves where Jain monks stayed. Since students would gather and sit on monks’ resting places to receive lessons, the term gradually became associated with the places of learning.
The origins of modern schooling in Tamil Nadu can be traced back to the arrival of European powers. Although the Dutch established a printing press in Pulicat in the early 1700s, their efforts were mostly limited to missionary activities. The first major Tamil printing initiative began in 1713, led by Danish missionaries in Tranquebar. There are also mentions of schools run by missionaries with support from rajas of Thanjavur, Ramnad and Sivaganga in the early 1700s with English as the medium of instruction. Serfoji II, the Maratha ruler of Thanjavur, established a printing press in 1805 to print religious and scientific texts and was a pioneer in education reform. He founded the Royal School during his reign in the 1800s which blended indigenous knowledge with Western sciences. He also established a number of schools that provided education in five languages—Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Persian, and English. The raja established the ‘Dhanvanthri Mahal’, a research institute that produced herbal medicine for humans and animals.
As per the survey conducted by Thomas Munro, the then governor, the erstwhile Madras presidency had more than 12,000 schools and colleges imparting education to students in the early 1800s. Most of them were ‘thinnai pallis’ without any uniform structure. The education system then underwent an upheaval through Macaulay’s Minute on Education (1835) which introduced English as the medium of instruction and later Wood’s despatch in 1854 which gave some focus to vernacular education.
“The Government Higher Secondary School in Uthiramerur, Kancheepuram, is one such institution that began as a thinnai palli in 1921. It then moved to the cooperative bank building in the locality. During World War II in 1942, the Ramakrishna Mission Residential High School was relocated from Mylapore to Uthiramerur as part of the government’s evacuation plan. The school was later upgraded to a higher secondary school in 1978. It is one of the few rural government schools offering education in English medium,” said P Balakrishnan, headmaster of the school. Among the government schools that are still functioning, Presidency School, established as a teacher training school for women in 1783, is the oldest. Now 242 years old, it was renamed Presidency High School for Girls in 1939. While many government schools have crossed the centenary mark, holding a rich history, their records often remain largely undocumented with changing headmasters and teachers.
“Before the rise of private schools in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, government schools were the primary providers of education in Tamil Nadu. The push for accessible education gained momentum during the tenure of Chief Minister K Kamaraj, who implemented policies to establish primary schools in every village. Coupled with pioneering initiatives like the midday meal scheme, it significantly increased student enrolment, boosting literacy rates. This strong foundation in government schools has produced leaders across various fields, including several former ISRO chairpersons,” said a senior official from the School Education Department.
Social reformers advocating free & compulsory education
Education has been a key focus of the Dravidian parties, with Periyar E V Ramasamy advocating for free and compulsory education as early as the 1930s, during his time in the Justice Party. After all, it was the Justice Party, the predecessor of the Dravidian movement, that initiated the midday meal scheme in 1920 as a pilot initiative. With a strong emphasis on social justice and education, Tamil Nadu’s leaders have mastered the art of introducing transformative policies at the right time, paving the way for a brighter future.
The midday meal scheme was significantly expanded by former Chief Ministers K Kamaraj and M G Ramachandran. While former CM M Karunanidhi focused on free textbooks, expanding access to education and ensuring social justice through reservations, J Jayalalithaa introduced the free bicycle scheme in 2001 and later the free laptop scheme in 2010 to bridge the digital divide. The present DMK government introduced the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme which is also being expanded to government aided schools gradually.
In this era of digital transformation, while the previous AIADMK government introduced smart classrooms in schools, the present DMK government has scaled it up significantly, implementing smart classrooms in all 22,931 government primary schools. Additionally, plans are under way to provide one computer for every five students in hi-tech labs at government higher secondary schools and to establish new hi-tech labs in middle schools.
The concept of community participation in schools is also rooted in Tamil Nadu’s history. Faced with limited resources in the post-independence years, Kamaraj encouraged local communities to contribute to schools. Villagers donated paddy and vegetables to support the midday meal scheme and took an active role in building and maintaining school infrastructure. Today, this spirit of community involvement is being revived, with alumni across the state stepping up to support their alma maters—especially as schools celebrate their centenary years. According to sources, the school education department only provides guidance, while the celebrations and funding are entirely managed by alumni.
“Celebrating a school’s centenary serves multiple purposes. It strengthens community participation by reconnecting alumni with their schools. Many alumni are now taking the initiative to maintain school infrastructure and provide solutions to challenges that cannot be addressed centrally. Additionally, it introduces government school students to role models they can aspire to be,” said a source.
Young minds with their hands on AI and coding
At present, students in rural government and government-aided schools are learning AI, coding, and machine learning under the Technology Education and Learning Support (TEALS) initiative, supported by Microsoft. Touted as the first such initiative in the country, school education department officials believe this programme will keep Tamil Nadu’s students ahead of the curve. Cecil Sunder, Director - Data and AI Solutions and Strategy at Microsoft, said that this initiative is bringing the wonders of artificial intelligence to the heart of government schools. A former student of a government-aided higher secondary school in Thambithottam, he proudly shares videos of students developing games through coding under the programme.
“After the programme was implemented, I was thrilled by the students’ progress when I visited them in the field. Students in classes 7, 8, and 9 are not only aware of concepts like AI and machine learning but are also exploring them in depth at a level appropriate for their age. With this initiative, I believe the next technological innovation will come from these kids in rural areas in India. We are building the right capacity at the right time,” Sunder said, describing the experience of giving back to government schools in the country as both emotional and rewarding. Tamil Nadu served as a test base for implementing the TEALS programme and it has been a success.
“The children are not only understanding the technology but also confidently communicating and challenging others”, he added. Tamil Nadu is making a major push in AI and digital infrastructure, buzzwords that could define the future, by taking proactive steps to equip students with emerging technologies. The state government is ensuring that students from rural backgrounds have equal access in learning these advancements.
This initiative could give Tamil Nadu’s students a competitive edge while also driving a significant leap toward social justice. It’s heartening to see that the state isn’t alone in this journey. The century-old government schools have devoted alumni who remain committed to supporting their alma mater and giving back to society.