A small team of the headmaster and teachers of Chennai High School located on Canal Bank Road in Mandaveli walked around the colonies of the neighbourhood on June 30 – colonies like Sathyavani Muthu Nagar, Sarathapuram and Visalakshi Thottam.
The group was carrying out a campaign to promote school admissions. They carried placards and distributed handbills.
Admissions are now open to Classes 6 to 10 ( Thamizh and English medium).
Says P. Paulraj, headmaster, “Our strength stands at just 106 students and it is very small in classes 6, 7 and 8. So we are going around to enlist new admissions. We encourage school dropouts. too”
Like many schools managed by Chennai Corporation, this school too has witnessed a spiralling drop in strength with families opting to admit their wards to private schools even if they cannot fully meet the demands of school fees.
Paulraj says the relocation of families in many slums and redevelopment of Slum Board colonies in the Mandaveli – R A Puram zone also contributes to numbers dropping as families shift out of the area.
Meanwhile, Paulraj who was promoted last year and took charge here in November is also petitioning the local MLA and GCC officers to get a few key problems addressed – civil repairs of the classrooms where leaks occur during monsoon time, setting right the plumbing and getting a full-time watchman.
Paulraj also welcomes support from NGOs and local clubs and community groups. For now, there is a need for some tables for the use by teachers in all classrooms in the High School section.
You can call Paulraj at 7402133337.
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