Tiruvannamalai
Many teachers are like this, but not Mahalakshmi. Going an extra mile, this teacher residing at Jawadhu hills, is an epitome of care and affection.
Residents of Arasaveli tribal village in Jamaunamarudur panchayat at Jawadhu hills, hail her as a saint who not only teaches students their lessons but also attends to them in a motherly manner.
Mahalakshmi (34) is a teacher at a State-run tribal residential school, who is lauded for increasing the student’s strength from 3 to 417, which is the present count.
When she joined the school in 2006, there were only 3 students although the register had nearly 35 students registered. Seeing it as a challenge to fill up the classes with students, she started to hunt for the kids who either teased her or ran away when they saw her. “Holding their attention was a herculean task as they were not used to sitting still for a long time,” Mahalakshmi told this reporter.
Apart from just providing guidance, she even bathes the young boys and girls and also combs their hair. A highlight is that herseven-years-old son is also studying in the same school.
Native of Chellankuppam village in Kil Pennathur panchayat union near Tiruvannamalai, Mahalakshmi says that her happiness lies in working with children. “I opted for this post when I got the job in 2006 as I loved teaching children.” Asked why she was wearing a uniform like her students, she said, “They wanted me to do so and in the initial years when I had to climb over rocks and walk on rough roads, wearing a sari proved to be a hindrance.”
Talking about the other officials in the school, she says,“Though there was a head-cum-warden when I joined, they would always be away on official work and attend school only three days a week,” she said and added that it was upto her to get the students back to school, especially those already enrolled.
“There were times when they even hid in the loft in their houses and I would physically climb up and bring them down,” she said.
After she got her students, Mahalakshmi realised that apart from subjects, they needed to be taught a few basic factors like keeping themselves clean. “The children had no idea of this. So I started bathing them – both boys and girls – and then I also washed their clothes. Their personal hygiene was also very poor and as there was no barber, I cut their hair,” she stated.
When word spread of how she treated the children, many parents came forward to send their kids to the school. She was instrumental in getting 23 of her students admitted to higher secondary school with collector KS Kandasamy’s help and 7 of her students, including 6 girls, are studying in a college in Chennai. “In 2007, a few girls joined class but attained puberty the next year. Then I convinced them to continue their studies,” she added.
Jayabalan (29) of Dindigul who worked in a school for dropouts nearby joined as a volunteer teacher two years ago when his school was shut down. “He now helps us and is provided only food as he only sought that,” she said.
Though the government announced in the State assembly that this residential school was being upgraded to a high school, “orders are yet to come through” sources said. “For me the ultimate accolade is when students surround me, feed me and sleep on my lap and that is why I spend more time with them as it is they who pay our salaries,” she concluded.
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