With a view to preventing school dropouts, a 45-day summer special camp for narikorava children is being conducted at Valliyoor.
It is believed that if they were allowed to be with their parents during vacation, they will also be taken to wander places to sell their produce and they would never continue studies in the next academic year.
With funds allotted by the Central and the State governments, Chandrabose Residential School was established in Valliyoor in 2021 for reforming narikorava children. It has transformed the lives of 50 children, who are studying from Class I to VIII now. Since the school has a ‘smart classroom,’ the children are very much interested in the learning activities, the teachers say.
As their parents are nomads and move around to sell honey and handmade beads, etc., they pitch tents in a place on the outskirts of a small town and move to other places within a week or two.
“Our children would go home for summer vacation every year. If the students who are residing in the school are allowed to be with their parents during this hot summer, they may contract diseases due to the extreme heat. Moreover, many of them will never return to school after the vacation. Hence, we obtained permission from the district administration and the Department of School Education for conducting the summer camp in the school itself for teaching them some skills,” says Maria Jameela, Art and Craft teacher of the school.
When children wake up at 6 a.m., they are asked to brush the teeth to make it a habit for them. After a yoga session, the children go for jogging. Following a bath, they are served breakfast which is followed by multiplication tables session before the start of the ‘skill session.’
There are 50 students and they have been divided into five groups so that the trainers can spot their talents and fine-tune their skills based on the children’s interest. The children show much enthusiasm in learning yoga, bharatanatyam, singing, oration, ‘silambam,’ ‘thappaattam,’ making handicrafts, etc. Experts teach them these skills using the smart board.
“They observe keenly and pick up new skills with ease. They are adept in making handicrafts, especially ornaments, ‘silambam’, ‘thappaattam’ and dance,” says Ms. Jameela.
The children are also exposed to environment protection and wildlife conservation through documentaries screened in the smart classroom since some of their parents hunt small birds and animals like rabbits without knowing that it is a punishable offence.
“The teachers (trainers) are kind. They teach us English and rhymes. We feel safe here,” says Bhuvaneswari, a student. Another student, Neela Sakthi, says they were learning new skills this vacation.
Headmistress Sudha says there are two residential schools for narikorava children in south Tamil Nadu – the other one is in Madurai. The summer camp has ensured the safety of girls who would otherwise be spending the holidays in unsafe tents. Encouraged by the summer camp, 15 new narikorava students have been admitted in May alone.
