Updated on: Thursday, January 06, 2011
The Chennai Corporation has identified 10 private schools in the city that will partner it in exchange programmes with 10 Chennai Schools for Excellence, run by the civic body.
Officials of the Corporation told The Hindu on Wednesday that the schools would be encouraged to conduct cultural and academic exchange programmes starting this month. Each Chennai School for Excellence will tie up with a private school in the locality. The identified schools include Sacred Heart Matriculation School, Church Park, Good Shepherd Convent, A.M.M. Matriculation School and Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School.
Besides programmes showcasing cultural activities of the schools, interactive sessions will be organised among students and teachers of private and Chennai Schools, the officials said.
The plan to develop schools of excellence will have two major components – infrastructure and soft skills training, by additional recruitment of teachers. While several measures such as construction of cycle stands and libraries have been taken up, improving infrastructure by providing incinerators and more buildings are under way as part of the three-year plan.
“We are planning to hold exchange programmes once a year for better learning experience for the students,” said an official.
The measures are part of the process to get accreditation from the Quality Council of India.
The methods followed in these schools would be emulated by other Chennai Schools.
Teachers of the schools of excellence have started preparing schedules for such programmes. A senior teacher at Chennai Girls Higher Secondary School, Madhavaram High Road, Perambur, said “We want the students to interact about the code of conduct and discipline. We are planning for events such as folk dance and want to showcase our achievements in terms of improved quality of education.”