Coimbatore: Trade unions in Valparai are protesting against a pay rise for tea plantation workers.
Coimbatore: In a noble effort to reintegrate Government school dropouts, Manikandan, a B.Ed student from the city emulates his mother in helping Government school students hailing from the slum near Keeranatham road in Saravanampatti.
Dejected at seeing dropouts in the area, five years ago, Manikandan reminisces on how he started providing free tuition services to students in an effort to ensure they did not drop out from schools.
"It was so heartbreaking to see many students drop out in this slum area just because of the lack of understanding of subjects. Students from Classes 8 and above were dropping from school just because they found it difficult to learn the subjects and understand English. Lack of knowledge among parents in slum areas to help their children learn is one of the main reasons why the drop out rate increased five years ago," explained Manikandan who helped these children with free tuitions every evening.
Having completed B.Sc. Botany from Government Arts College in Coimbatore, Manikandan is currently pursuing his B.Ed in Coimbatore and spends two hours every evening teaching as many as 25 Government School students. "Ever since I took up free tuitions for the students after being approached by Vivekananda Seva Kendram, none of them have dropped out from the school," says an elated Manikandan.
Manikandan teaches students from Classes 1 to 10, sitting on the streets and clearing all their doubts in all the subjects. Manikandan, however, has requested for a specific building attached with library for the students to learn properly. "The students need to walk 4 kms to reach the library in Saravanampatti which is quite far. The Vivekananda Seva Kendram Trust organises elocution, dance and other co-curricular activities for students to learn beside the subjects. However, their parents are very supportive and are very happy to see their children learn," adds Manikandan.
Manikandan is ably assisted by Sambhavi, a polytechnic student from Coimbatore who also delights in providing free tuitions to students in all subjects.
Dejected at seeing dropouts in the area, five years ago, Manikandan reminisces on how he started providing free tuition services to students in an effort to ensure they did not drop out from schools.
"It was so heartbreaking to see many students drop out in this slum area just because of the lack of understanding of subjects. Students from Classes 8 and above were dropping from school just because they found it difficult to learn the subjects and understand English. Lack of knowledge among parents in slum areas to help their children learn is one of the main reasons why the drop out rate increased five years ago," explained Manikandan who helped these children with free tuitions every evening.
Having completed B.Sc. Botany from Government Arts College in Coimbatore, Manikandan is currently pursuing his B.Ed in Coimbatore and spends two hours every evening teaching as many as 25 Government School students. "Ever since I took up free tuitions for the students after being approached by Vivekananda Seva Kendram, none of them have dropped out from the school," says an elated Manikandan.
Manikandan teaches students from Classes 1 to 10, sitting on the streets and clearing all their doubts in all the subjects. Manikandan, however, has requested for a specific building attached with library for the students to learn properly. "The students need to walk 4 kms to reach the library in Saravanampatti which is quite far. The Vivekananda Seva Kendram Trust organises elocution, dance and other co-curricular activities for students to learn beside the subjects. However, their parents are very supportive and are very happy to see their children learn," adds Manikandan.
Manikandan is ably assisted by Sambhavi, a polytechnic student from Coimbatore who also delights in providing free tuitions to students in all subjects.