Students of Government High School at Lekkanapatti in Pudukottai district, perhaps, will not have any regret over missing out on their planned field trip by train to Rameswaram due to COVID-19 lockdown.
When the students return to classes, they will have reason to rejoice as the walls are adorned with paintings of trains.
The students were preparing for a train trip to Rameswaram during March, when the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was imposed. Since then, they have not seen their school. “When we were talking to students, almost all of them said they had never travelled on a train before. So, we planned a trip to Rameswaram, which is a beautiful train ride away. Unfortunately, the lockdown was imposed and the children were robbed of the experience,” S. Antony, headmaster, said.
In August, teachers began going to school to conduct online classes and prepare coursework when they chanced upon the idea. “We thought, why not paint our classes to look like a train so the students can be welcomed this way. It was a thoughtful way to show that we cared,” Mr. Antony said.
The school has 236 students enrolled from class 6 to 12.
The school art teacher, S. Rajendran, took up the task of drawing the train while the headmaster and the school clerk assisted in painting it. “We have included intricate details such as coach numbers, and emergency exits. Our train goes from Chennai to Kanyakumari, so that is written too,” Mr. Antony said.
The train spans a length of around 70 feet across three classrooms. “So we have three compartments, which took nearly two months to complete,” he added.
Since the teachers painted the trains, money was spent only on purchase of paints at ₹15,000, which was paid for by the headmaster.
“This is not the only interactive learning equipment on campus. A large concrete globe, hand-painted by the art teacher, is on display at the entrance of the school. “The names of contries are written in Tamil for the students to see and learn,” Mr. Antony said.
