Education
Education
The need for better education is critical to address issues like school dropouts, unequal access, and the quality of education. Improved access to education is also essential, especially in rural and marginalized areas. Quality education needs to encompass not just academic learning but life skills, critical thinking, and vocational training to prepare students for real-world challenges. The digital divide further highlights the need for better infrastructure and resources to ensure all students can benefit from modern learning tools. To address these issues GVST undertakes various programs like education aid to students, career guidance and English education for better communication skills.
Activities / Programs carried out
The list of activities given below outlines the various projects implemented by GVST in partnership with different donors and stakeholders, focussing on education, infrastructure development, and post-tsunami rehabilitation for school children and communities in Kanyakumari district. Scholarships and literacy programs are being implemented to support the educational needs of children, with a focus on promoting literacy and educational opportunities.
• A workshop was organized to educate and inform Panchayats about their roles and responsibilities in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program for children below 5 years of age, on 29th August 2007, at Nagercoil..
• GVST provided Post-Tsunami Educational Aid to school children affected by the tsunami to support their ongoing education.
• 10,000 gift boxes containing school supplies were distributed to school children in tsunami-affected villages to help them continue their education despite the disruption caused by the disaster.
• Another project involved the repair and maintenance of Anganwadi centers in Kottipadu and Colachel to provide a better learning environment for children.
• Overhead water tanks (OHT) were constructed to address water shortages in tsunami-affected areas, providing a consistent water supply for communities.
• Temporary roof sheds were constructed at Kottipadu to facilitate uninterrupted schooling for children affected by the tsunami.
• The electrification and construction of a compound wall at St. Alex Middle School in Kottipadu aimed to improve school infrastructure, ensuring safety and a conducive learning environment for students.
• Provided an evening tuition centre and infrastructural support to St. Joseph’s Primary School and Udaya Marthandam Govt. High School, including education aid to ensure children in Midalam village continued their studies effectively.
• Water and sanitation facilities were provided to St. Joseph’s Primary School and Udaya Marthandam Govt. High School, ensuring access to clean water and proper sanitation for school children in Midalam village.
Educational Support
Education is the doorway to the wider world, leads to an increase in the overall standard of living and promotes good hygiene habits. It brings positive changes to human life by enhancing knowledge, skill, and intelligence, enabling individuals to lead successful lives. Having realised the significance of education, Good Vision Seva Trust, since its inception, has been providing educational support to needy students.
POCSO awareness for Madras Speaks English project team
The POCSO Act 2012 awareness program organized by the Good Vision Seva Trust and the partnership with Tamil Nadu State Commission Women was a valuable initiative that empowered the Madras Speaks English (MSE) project team and volunteer teachers, in Chennai on 4th October with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent and address child sexual abuse. The expert presentations, interactive discussions, and certificate distribution contributed to a successful and impactful training event. By raising awareness and understanding of the POCSO Act, this training has strengthened the capacity of the participants to safeguard the well-being of children in their communities.
MSE project - Teachers Training conducted
The volunteer teachers of Madras Speaks English project were given first round of training in September 2024 about the teaching module where teachers shared their observations on the effectiveness of repetitive drill practice in learning new vocabularies. During the training, all the volunteer teachers highlighted the positive response from headmasters, teaching fraternity, students and their parents about the program's impact and the noticeable improvement in students' English language and other communication skills. The teacher were oriented on aspects like daily reporting and attendance requirements, the importance of avoiding religious discussions on school premises, maintaining professional conduct, and fostering a supportive learning environment through acknowledgment, encouragement, and appreciation. They were guided to choose approximately 130 to 150 sentences or words from each subject book per class, resulting in a total of over 500 words or sentences for each standard. Our team also explained the process of translating these sentences and words in Tamil and English for each class.
Distribution of MSE Books and Speakers to GCC Schools
The book distribution event took place on August 30th, bringing together the GVST project team, our external experts, and members of the Rotary Club. The event marked the distribution of vocabulary drill books and pens to 1,500 students across five schools. During the event, the project team and sponsors engaged with school heads, teachers, and students. Our external experts highlighted the project's potential to enhance students' English communication skills. The school heads expressed their sincere gratitude to the GVST team and Rotary Club for their support, emphasizing the project's significant contribution to improving students' language abilities.
Inaugural of Kanyakumari Speaks English
The inaugural programme of “Kanyakumari Speaks English” was organized on 20/08/2024 at Thuckalay Government Model Higher Secondary School. The Honourable Minister Mr. Mano Thangaraj, presided over the program. He gave the inaugural address and he emphasized the importance of English Communication. He conveyed thanks to all the sponsors of this programme. He also mentioned the changes in the lives of the students who were covered last year under this initiative and he launched the program.
The District Collector Mrs. Alagu Meena gave the keynote address. She shared her opinion regarding the programme and conveyed her support will be there for the successful implementation of the program. She also advised to expand the programme all over the district. The Chief Educational Officer, The District Educational Officers, the HM’s of the selected schools and the volunteer teachers attended the program. The inauguration was inspiring and the program marked the beginning of “Kanyakumari Speaks English”.
Training the Volunteer Teachers at Kanyakumari
A 7-day training session for teachers, focused on innovative teaching strategies was conducted. This event was scheduled during the quarterly exams, allowing volunteers to explore new ways to connect with students and create more interactive classrooms. During the training session our teachers made fifty percent content for vocabulary drill from the school text books for the next term. An amazing bond between teachers and students were established. There was a sense of mutual respect and understanding that gave a more engaging and expressive learning environment.
POCSO awareness for Kanyakumari Speaks English project team
The POCSO Act 2012 awareness program, organized by the Good Vision Seva Trust in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women, was a significant initiative that empowered the Kanyakumari Speaks English (KSE) project team and volunteer teachers in Paloor, Karungal on 14th October 2024. The training provided essential knowledge and skills to prevent and address child sexual abuse. With expert presentations, interactive discussions, and certificate distribution, the event was both successful and impactful. All the teachers and staff interacted with the speakers and cleared their doubts. By enhancing awareness of the POCSO Act, the program has strengthened the participants' ability to safeguard children's well-being in their schools, families and communities.
English for Economic Opportunities Program:
Tamil Nadu has achieved a good position in many developmental indicators; however, it still lags behind in English proficiency. Despite the district’s high literacy rate, students have limited exposure to English communication. Students from vulnerable socio-economic backgrounds have very few opportunities to develop their communication skills. Due to the lack of proficiency in English, even graduates struggle to find quality employment.
To overcome this challenge, the Good Vision Seva Trust, while undertaking various projects to uplift vulnerable communities, has intervened. GVST, in association with linguistic experts, devised a program named “English for Economic Opportunities” for government school children and conducted a trial run in 13 schools in Kanyakumari during the academic year 2023-2024. This pilot program achieved a great success. The program titled as “Kanyakumari Speaks English” has now been expanded to 66 schools in the district with the support, kindness, generosity, and dedication from different sponsors and philanthropists.
Building on the success and insights gained from this project, GVST is now poised to expand our efforts to the Greater Chennai Corporation. Initially, the project “Madras Speaks English” has been implemented for 5 government schools of GCC in 5 different areas in the city effective from July 2024. Due to the growing need and demand for English language learning, this initiative should be expended to additional schools across Tamil Nadu.