After heavy demand, T’malai PU school turns away parents seeking admissions

Sources said that the school scored over other private schools in the region contrary to the usual practice of private school being better than government institutions. This elementary school has better facilities, including gaily painted classrooms, computer room, play rooms, herbal garden, dining hall and smart classrooms which have convinced parents to put their children here. 

On Tuesday, residents from 29 surrounding villages vied each other to get admission for their kids in this school. “We had no other option other than convincing parents to go back,” said headmistress R Thamaraiselvi. 

On additional classrooms, she told DT Next, “The AEO asked us to admit only a limited number of students proportionate to available space. He advised to avoid holding classes under trees as it may draw criticisms.” 

Students are also taught yoga, karate, silambam and computer skills and these features have attracted rural parents. The school’s strength for all classes was 362 and when 41 students of Class 5 passed out, it admitted the same number in lower classes. 

“We are awaiting additional classrooms as we have informed higher officials of this urgent need,” she said and added that the school got two classrooms during the tenure of former Collector KS Kandasamy. 

There are four teachers, including the HM. As the number of teachers was not enough to cater to all students, Thamaraiselvi hired two qualified teachers for a monthly remuneration of Rs 5,000, which she paid from her salary, to work as physical training instructors. Her efforts seem to be paying off as the schools has won many awards at the state level.