Now trending: TN Education department’s videos on govt school toppers

CHENNAI: The state school education department is on song celebrating the success of government school students, showcasing a silent and dramatic transformation that is unfolding across Tamil Nadu – like some of the students living on the fringes of the Kalvarayan and Pachamalai hills and fight against odds to excel in academics.

Take the case of D Jiya Kumari, a native of Bihar and a student of the government school in Cowl bazaar, Pallavaram, who secured 93 marks out of 100 in Tamil. Students like her and several others feature in weekly videos churned out by the department under its campaign titled ‘Making dreams come true, one child at a time.’ The videos that run into a few minutes celebrate the success of government school students who excel in competitive exams or emerge as village toppers or perform well in language subjects.

“Government school students, many of whom are from disadvantaged and modest backgrounds, are today daring to dream big. The government is nurturing those dreams through numerous initiatives so that these students get quality education,” says school education secretary B Chandramohan.

“A powerful new video series captures the remarkable journeys of the children of daily wage labourers, single mothers, and struggling families, whose aspirations found wings inside classrooms and the adversities have not limited their potential. These are not just stories of success but of hope, resilience, and the quiet transformation of public education, one child at a time,” explains Chandramohan.

The latest video features A Kruthika of Thiruvannamalai who is set to enter the Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai, a premier institute in the field of catering.

“Our students are our superstars, and they are setting examples by cracking competitive exams at the all-India level. Tribal student A Rajeswari of Kalvarayan Hills cracked the JEE mains and advanced exams. Subsequently Chief Minister MK Stalin, as a token of appreciation, allotted her a house and financial aid,” said an official source.

Earlier this month, 17-year-old S Bharath, a tribal student from Pachamalai hills, cleared the common law admission exam to enter National Law University,” said official sources, adding that the department will be filming such students and promoting them as campaigners for school education.

Most of these students are now popular in their respective villages due to the state-sponsored social media videos and are already brand ambassadors promoting the significance of education among students. A new trend has emerged wherein these students get special audiences with the CM during his district tours.

“These students live in a time where there is no dearth of distractions – like making reels and tik tok videos. Hence their success stories when highlighted on social media will have a positive impact among students. State celebrating the achievements of students from tribal and economically backward communities is a welcome gesture,” says A Kumaraguru, founder, Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Tiruchy.