The innumerable challenges that school headmasters face include enhancing reach of education both in terms of quality and quantity, tackling situations arising out of the trend of marks taking precedence over values, and rising expectations of parents.
A seminar organised here on Friday by Puthiya Thalaimurai, a Tamil Weekly, under the aegis of its education supplement ‘Kalvi' generated for a huge gathering of over 300 headmasters . The programme was presented by SRM University and Tamil Nadu Asiriyar Sangam.
How best situations could be tackled in the prevailing circumstances were of higher importance. With an open-minded approach, solutions could be identified within problems, Sudha Seshayyan, Registrar, Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, said. While stating that the undue focus on marks was deeply ingrained in the system and cannot be changed overnight, she, agreed with the opinion expressed earlier by the magazine Editor N. Maalan that the bubble will burst over a period of time, citing the trend of students mustering courage to decide on their career paths beyond conventional thinking as a good augury.
“Look at various dimensions for a solution,” Dr. Sudha Seshayyan advised the headmasters, advocating for them a mindset to learn anything at any point of time and sustain their hard work to overcome challenges. In support of his contention that the rat-race for marks will come to an end in a matter of time, Mr. Maalan said it was skills of students rather than knowledge that now determine their success in careers. He said the magazine while empowering youth sought to motivate teachers in recognition of their capability to transform the society.
Inaugurating the seminar, the Chief Educational Officer T. Mohana Kumar was confident that the event would serve the purpose of infusing clarity into the minds of the school heads on their administrative tasks.
Shyam Kumar, Vice-President, Sales and Operations, said the magazine would shortly organise exhibitions and literary competitions for students. Ilamaran, president of Tamil Nadu Asiriyar Kootani, also took part.
The dignitaries honoured the standard X toppers along with their respective school heads. Nikita Christopher and J. Sowmiya of St. Joseph's Anglo Indian Girls' Higher Secondary School, the State toppers with totals of 486 and 485 respectively out of 500; M. Nandagopal (492) of S.R.V. Matriculation Higher Secondary School, State second rank holder; and M. Jotheeswaran of R.C. HSS and S. Jayaprakash of E.R. HSS, the district toppers with totals of 494 each received certificates.
