Chennai schools come up with ways to boost admissions

Time of India

30-05-2025

Three govt schools under the Chengalpet education district have found ways to solve a common problem — getting more children into classrooms.
People will enrol their kids in govt schools if unique initiatives are implemented, said C Karpagam, chief educational officer.
Govt Higher Secondary School, Kovalam
Is snooker a rich man's preserve? Not necessarily, thought headmaster T Nakkeeran when he brought in a snooker table worth 2 lakh in 2021, with the help of Venkatraman Memorial Trust.
"It broke the stereotype that certain games are meant only for certain people," Nakkeeran told TOI.
Physical education teacher Mohan, said, "Our students participated in a competition in Chennai but since they were not accustomed to playing in an air-conditioned environment, they lost.
Now, we'll get ACs in our PE room to equip our students to fare better next time," he said.
Besides snooker, the school has nets for cricket. M S Nanina, Class XI, who played for the Tamil Nadu U-17 cricket team, said, "Here, both acdemics and sports get the same importance. We reached the U-17 quarter-finals in Haryana and my school bore all the expenses."
MPL Govt Higher Secondary School, Hastinapuram
Speaking without inhibition brings out the best in students, said headmaster J Chandran whose 'Coffee With HM' is extremely popular among his students.
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Though there's a space crunch in this one-acre school, it has not deterred Chandran from placing grievance boxes across the campus. One's for faculty and one for students.
Every evening he visits classes to connect with his students. "We discuss everything from academics to issues at home or school. And if there is an issue, we try to resolve it," said Chandran.
Hari Prasad, a Class XI student, said, "The HM is a busy man, yet he finds time to listen to us.
I wanted a library in the school but I was too shy to ask him. But drop boxes and 'Coffee with HM' room help introverts like me open up. Now, we have a library."
Maraimalai Adigal Govt Higher Secondary School, Pallavaram
At headmaster S Ravi Kasi Venkataraman's school, 80-plus CCTVs maintain careful watch over students' movements, and no one can play truant. But how does he ensure students stay in school? Answer: The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) app.
This app lets the headmaster record messages and forward them to parents. "I send messages about students' absence, exam details and pass on updates. Student details are stored in the app along with their parents' phone numbers," said Ravi. Messages are sent four times a day, spaced 30 minutes apart. "If parents miss the first message, they can listen to the next."
The school also offers free coaching for competitive exams., said the parent of GP Shravesh, a former CBSE student who is set to join Class XI.
Three years ago, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi opened the Young Kalam Discovery Science Centre at this school.