VIT life skill classes help boost confidence in govt school kids

Talking to DT Next, VIT University’s CSRD (Centre for Sustainable Rural Development and Research Studies) head CR Sundara Rajan said,”We started this mission four months earlier. Our aim was to make students attain enough confidence to face the world and middle school students are of the right age to understand the seriousness of what we teach. They were even some who did not know the difference between a good touch and a bad touch, despite the rising incidence of POCSO cases.”

Although the programme was appreciated, the school heads were reluctant to allow the VIT staff inside their classrooms and stated that the students won’t listen to them. Later, the department sought the help of Vellore CEO S Mars who ordered the school heads to accommodate them.

Talking about the early days of the programme, assistant project officer NK Parthiban said,“Initially, there was some hesitation from the students when they were told that these classes would be taken by VIT members, but later on, not just their attendance to the classes but also their confidence level improved.”

The life skill classes is being held twice per week and the members would carry smart class equipment which they set up in the class and students would answer the questions raised on the smart board during the interactive session.

The classes in these 20 schools will continue for another year and based on its feedback, another 20 schools will be chosen to receive similar benefits, sources said and added that to meet the increasing demand, the department needs more Tamil speaking studentsto volunteer.

“Presently, 20 trained students took class recently and another 100 VIT students are undergoing training,” Sundara Rajan added.

Commenting on the experience, one of the volunteers said, “It is a new experience to teach these students. We understand the seriousness of what we are doing as we know that what we teach will impact them deeply and that makesus all happy.”