Extra coaching is given for 2 hours in the evenings.
As the clock strikes four, children clad in blue and white, with books in hand, come out of their classrooms. Eagerly they head for a cup of snacks which is handed over to them by teachers. Slowly they occupy every nook and corner of the school campus. The playground, verandahs and dining halls are some of their favorite spots. This is a regular scene at all the Chennai High Schools between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. It is clear that they are working hard and focussed towards a goal. What is this challenge they are gearing up for? They are all students of Class X of Chennai High Schools who will be facing a public examination, based on Samacheer Kalvi for the first time. It is an initiative taken by the Government to encourage these children, who mostly come from under-privileged families, to score more. This extra coaching is given by teachers in all subjects for two hours.
As there is no question bank or ready reckoner to prepare them for exams, the first batch of Samacheer Kalvi system feels that they have been given an insurmountable task. Regarding the level of difficulty of the subjects, there is mixed reaction from students and teachers. “The syllabus is new and difficult for our students. We have categorised them into achievers and under performers. While the achievers are motivated to obtain ranks, the other group is encouraged to pass in all subjects,” say teachers and principals unanimously.
Originally written for The Hindu, read more at https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/making-best-use-of-the-evening-time/article3449386.ece