As the schools are reopening after a long, pandemic-induced break, a group of Higher secondary students from Thrickodithanam , a village on the outskirts of Kottayam, has put their writing skills in English to good use of the local community
May I help you, a programme launched by the Government Higher Secondary School in Thrickodithanam, under the aegis of its School English Club, envisages offering free service to the public in drafting letters, filling up application forms and all other services requiring the use of English language. The project is being launched through a ten-member team of students with effective writing skills, who have undergone a ten-days long training in letter writing and formatting skills.
“Any person who needs to prepare a letter or any similar service can approach the school directly during the office hours on all weekdays. Considering the school's location inside a remote village on the Kotytayam-Pathanamthitta border, the service is expected to help the local community in a big way'', said R. Sreeraj, a teacher who heads the school's English Club .
Launched only a couple of days ago, the school has already helped out a handful of people in its neighbourhood to draft their messages in a professional way. The content drafted by the students are verified by the school's English teachers, who in turn, make the necessary corrections before issuing the final draft , added Mr.Sreeraj.
As part of its implementation, the school has also approached the local panchayat, seeking association of the elected representatives at the ward level in making the programme a success.
“At the grassroots level, people are still facing a difficulty in the effective use of English because writing still remains the primary way of getting business done'', noted A. Sajeena, the school principal. The scheme, according to her, is the school's way of giving back to the society.
