Spread out wide, the branches of the tamarind tree at the entrance of Ambattur Municipal Primary School in Mogappair had made a whole lot of things possible for students and teachers — outdoor events, lunch breaks and meet-ups. It continued the good work during the pandemic, when it was an ally to teachers who wanted to conduct reading sessions and art and craft activities, among others, to help some children better utilise their time.
“Since July 2020, teachers have been going to school, except during the peak of the second wave. At least 20 children from the neighbourhood, a majority of them our students, would hang out on the campus,” says S. Krishnaveni, who has been the school’s headmistress since 2009.
These children needed to be engaged, as their parents would be away on work and they did not have any gadget to even tune in to the lessons being telecast on Kalvi TV.
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Krishnaveni points out that she has come across students whose parents earn a living as scavengers. These children would loiter around to collect recyclable plastic and sell them to buy snacks.
ol“That sight really hurt me, so we started working with these children by engaging them in activities like wall painting and drawing,” says Krishnaveni.
But were not the schools shuttered?
Krishnaveni says they never opened the classroom and the activities were orchestrated under the tree.
“We have two teachers — K Pushpalatha and S. Umaparvathy — along with me who would park themselves under its shade along with five children each and help them with the extra-curricular activities for a few hours every day,” says Krishnaveni, adding that this engagement still continues.
“A majority of the children are from economically weak backgrounds and in the absence of anyone at home they spend their time in unhealthy activities,” she says.
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During the lockdown last year, one of the first things the school did was to ensure none of students’ families went without food.
“I got help from my extended family who donated ration kits and once that dried up, I had many well-wishers who gave rice bags that benefited 70 of our parents,” says Krishnaveni, adding that the initiative continues.
Early this year, Chennai photojournalists played host to an event under the tree where sports uniforms were distributed to children. State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan graced the event.
On August 15, there was a meet-up of students to share library books and exchange what they read.
Started in 1935, the school is one of the oldest government institutions in the neighbourhood. It offers classes from LKG to V. In 2009, the school had 45 students. In the last academic year, it crossed 100 and its strength now is 195 with three teachers on the rolls. “When I joined the school, neighbours referred to it as a pulliamaram school and I felt bad about that then, but now I take pride in the name and the difference the tree has made in these children’s lives,” says Krishnaveni, adds that it is satisfying when one manages to spot talent among these youngsters.
Santhosh and Mani are among the names she mentions.
She notes, “Santhosh now goes to the home of a child on the spectrum to teach his art.”
