arlier this year, a few alumni of Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Thycaud, mooted ‘Mission Model School - 21 C’ to arrest the decline in the fortunes of the school and gear it to face the challenges of the 21st century. The multi-phased project, which would see the more-than-a-century-old school raised to international standards, was launched in association with the State government.
The first phase work was inaugurated in January. Since then, a number of initiatives have been launched so that the school can reclaim its previous glory.
Among the first steps to be taken up were night classes for academically weak students who were to take the class 10 and class 12 annual exams the previous academic year. The school’s efforts bore fruit when it posted 100 per cent results in the SSLC exams and 87 per cent in the Plus Two exams.
The immediate impact of this good show was reflected in the admissions in the new academic year. “As many as 250 new students from class 1 to 10 were enrolled this year,” school Principal M.P. Shajee said.
During the vacations, the school conducted training for teachers called Teacher Empowerment Programmes. Six of the 36 days of training planned for the year have been completed. The training was conducted by experts decided on by the alumni.
Infrastructure
On the infrastructure front, equipment for turning 15 of the 47 classrooms into smart classrooms is expected to arrive this week. Work such as electrification, repairs, painting and that involving better security is almost over. “We expect the 15 classrooms to function in sync after Onam,” Mr. Shajee said.
After evaluation of the performance, the programme will be extended to other classrooms. The teachers have been trained in IT skills as a follow-up to their vacation training.
The school library, which has over 12,000 books, is also getting a facelift. The library system is being digitised, and Internet connectivity provided on 22 computer systems. After the renovation, as many as 60 students will be accommodated here at a time, and furniture has started arriving. Two persons will be posted as full-time librarians, and attempts are on to ensure at least one library period in a week for each class. Books amounting to Rs.6 lakh are being purchased.
The physics, chemistry and biology labs in the high school section are being modernised. Additional equipment is being procured. The biology lab which earlier had four microscopes will now have 20 of them, and the chemistry lab will get more chemicals.
The computer labs in the upper primary and high school sections are likely to get 20 and 30 computer systems, respectively.
Focus is also on better amenities. Mineral water cans have been placed around the campus, washbasins installed, and bathrooms and urinals renovated. Their maintenance will also be ensured.
New look
As part of the project, the old school uniform has been replaced with a new one. Two pairs of stitched uniforms were supplied by the mission to the students, along with a T-shirt, belt, two pairs of socks, and shoes. As many as 650 below-the-poverty line students from LKG to Plus Two were given the uniform free of cost.
Of the four school buses, only one was operational. The mission has taken up the repair, maintenance and running of a second bus for the students.
The second phase is set to be launched by the end of the year, but the school is concentrating on winding up the first phase work by the September deadline. “With an increase in new admissions and student quality improving, there will be a definite change in the school’s prospects in the next two-three years. The government has also agreed in-principle not to transfer the teachers who have received training,” Mr. Shajee said.
As many as 250 new students from class 1 to 10 were enrolled this year.
