Thiran initiative for Class 6-8 students to begin in July
In an effort to improve government school students' proficiency in Tamil, English and Math, the school education department will introduce the Thiran initiative in July.
According to officials from the department, a baseline survey will be conducted when the academic year begins in June and students who haven't attained the minimum education level for the standard will be taken under the initiative.
'As students move up the education ladder, the pressure to show results increases. There's Ennum Ezhuthum for class 1-5. From Class 10 onwards, the students focus on exams. The need to pass the students in the exams takes precedence. There is a need to address the students effectively in Class 6 onwards. This approach will help the student go above than just pass as we identify students who need help from the first step,' said Director of Elementary Education P.A. Naresh.
The State-level Achievement Survey showed a dip in the learning outcomes of students in English, Tamil and Math in Class 8 while it was the highest in Class 3. Recognising the need to bridge the gap between the classes, the six-month initiative will run parallel to their schooling during school hours as students catch up with the necessary basics in foundational literacy and numeracy.
'The approach will be customised on curriculum and language needs of the student and the schools in the district. A monthly review meeting will be held at the district-level and State-level to check the progress. A mid-line survey will be conducted in September to check the progress,' he added.
The student will be then moved to mainstream education once they achieve the learning goals. 'The initiative not only focuses on knowledge but also critical thinking. There will also be an end-line survey held at the end of six months to check the progress of the student,' the official added.
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