logo
Scan the QR code to enrol your ward in this panchayat school

Scan the QR code to enrol your ward in this panchayat school

Time of India19-05-2025
Chennai: The panchayat union primary school (PUPS) in Thiruputkuzhi near Kanchipuram has come up with an innovative way to enrol children in Class I. It placed banners with QR codes on the school campus and bus stand to enable parents to enrol their wards from home during the summer vacation.
Teachers said they came up with the idea to help prospective parents who go to work early in the morning and return in the evening.
"When they scan the code, it takes them to a page where parents need to fill in details such as the student's name, Aadhaar number, parents' names, and contact numbers. They can submit the documents after the reopening of school in June," said G Selvakumar, a secondary grade teacher from the school.
Earlier, the school also used QR codes to update parents about homework, tests, and rank details. The primary school has Classes I to V and boasts a strength of more than 450 students, which is the highest in the district.
"We also broadcast classes live on YouTube once or twice a week to enable parents to see what their wards are studying at the school," said C Kumar, headmaster of the school. Using the QR codes, 20 students enrolled for the 2025-26 academic year in Class I.
"I enrolled my daughter in Class I using the QR code. I work as an agricultural labourer, and this initiative was very convenient," said Jothiprakasam, a parent.
His elder son is studying in Class V in the same school. "The quality of teaching in the school is good. My son is reading words and sentences with syllable sounds in English," he added.
The school also plans to place more QR code banners in the neighbourhoods in the coming days. School education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi also appreciated the school for this initiative.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Parassala block resource centre readies worksheets for primary students
Parassala block resource centre readies worksheets for primary students

The Hindu

time6 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Parassala block resource centre readies worksheets for primary students

Rain pelting down may occasion different reactions. Some may take cover under an umbrella, and others use books to cover their heads. Some others could not care a fig and make the most of the opportunity to get drenched. A familiar scene for most students in the State. But looking at a colourful picture depicting this scene and writing about it is what second graders in the 71 schools under the Parassala block resource centre of the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) will soon be doing as part of the comprehensive quality education programme of the General Education department. The department, in association with the SSK, has come up with a number of strategies to improve academic standards and ensure that children attain the desired competencies. With this aim, every block resource centre (BRC) of the SSK has been asked to come up with their own programme and implement it in schools under their limit. Since strong foundations are the building blocks of lifelong learning, the 14-member team of the Parassala BRC mulled ways in which students' foundational literacy and numeracy could be improved. It came up with the idea of readying worksheets for various subjects for students from classes II to VII to provide the students more practice. Class I was left out since the students are still new to school and just becoming familiar with letters and numbers. Even as the BRC staff embarked on worksheet preparation, they were conscious that it should include exam-oriented questions such as multiple choice that students attempt in the National Achievement Survey or its State version. They were also clear about one aspect – students of all abilities should be able to answer these, whether gifted or those who lag behind in class. Accordingly, 70% of the questions in the worksheets are of average level, while 30% are of a higher order. Nearly 28 teachers prepared the worksheets for the first units in four subjects for lower primary classes and 30-odd teachers for six subjects for upper primary students. Initially done in Malayalam, these were translated into English by the BRC team. The worksheets were then compiled into a book form and released recently, says Anjana V.T., cluster resource centre coordinator at the BRC. Since financial constraints make it difficult to ensure that physical copies of the worksheets reach students, schools have been sent one digital copy and asked to utilise PTA funds to print it and then disseminate it to students through WhatsApp. Once schools reopen after the Onam break, the BRC plans to involve the teachers to get the worksheets for the second unit ready. There are also plans to take the support of computer teachers in the secondary section to prepare videos for portions that have concepts that students find it tough to grasp, says Anjana.

A British etiquette coach shares 5 fine dining tips you probably didn't know
A British etiquette coach shares 5 fine dining tips you probably didn't know

Indian Express

time6 hours ago

  • Indian Express

A British etiquette coach shares 5 fine dining tips you probably didn't know

When it comes to dining etiquette, most of us know the basics: chew with your mouth closed, don't talk with food in your mouth, and place your napkin on your lap. But true elegance at the table is in the details; the subtle, considerate habits that demonstrate respect and grace. As William Hanson, British etiquette coach and Executive Director of The English Manner, explains in a YouTube video: 'This is advice that is applicable in any situation — from the grandest of gala dinners to the most simple kitchen supper with the family… manners in any setting [are] about other people, not you.' With that wisdom in mind, here are five dining etiquette tips you probably didn't know about, peppered with Hanson's timeless advice. We're all hungry, but patience is polite. As William says, 'Good manners are selfless, not selfish… so we wait for everyone at the table to have a plate of food in front of them before we start eating.' This includes refraining from nibbling on bread or sipping soup if others haven't received their plates yet. If you see something tempting on the table, water, wine, salad, don't just dive in. 'If you want to help yourself to anything… make sure the people either side of you have it first before you help yourself.' Being aware of others' needs before your own shows refined hospitality. Need to pause mid-meal to answer a question or take a sip? Don't lay your used utensils on the table. 'We never place dirty cutlery back on the table… Instead, we place the cutlery in what we call the resting position.' Visualise a clock: place your knife at 3 o'clock and your fork crossing over it toward 8 o'clock (a 3:40 position). It subtly signals that you're not done yet. Phones have no place at the table, no matter how casual the meal. 'The dining table is always a phone-free zone… I don't care what you call it, I don't care what time of day — mobiles away.' Being fully present is a hallmark of great manners. When you've finished eating, show it. Silently. 'Just like the resting position, there's a way to place your knife and fork… they go together on the plate like so.' In Britain, cutlery is typically placed vertically at the 6:00 position. In some parts of the world, a slight angle is customary. Either way, it should clearly indicate you're finished. Whether you're enjoying a fancy restaurant meal or a simple family dinner, these small but powerful etiquette habits elevate the experience for everyone.

Is nursery admission as competitive as IIT-JEE?
Is nursery admission as competitive as IIT-JEE?

India Today

time7 hours ago

  • India Today

Is nursery admission as competitive as IIT-JEE?

It's 6 a.m. on an October morning in Delhi. The Sharma household is already in a frenzy. A fat plastic file, stuffed with birth certificate, Aadhaar cards, electricity bills, vaccination slips, and endless photocopies, lies open on the dining table. Ritu flips through the pages nervously for the tenth time while her husband zips it shut. By 6:30, they are rushing out of the door to join a growing queue outside a private school gate. They're not preparing for an engineering exam, not even a college entrance. They are bracing for nursery admissions a battle that now feels as fierce as many urban Indian parents, nursery admission has become the first and most brutal rat race of a child's life. The odds at some elite schools are now lower than IIT-JEE acceptance rates, the costs rival MBA programs, and the emotional toll is NUMBERS: ODDS WORSE THAN IITIIT-JEE (2024–25): 1.8 lakh students appeared for JEE Advanced; ~17,740 IIT seats available, acceptance ~10%.Delhi nursery elite schools: elite international school open ~70–100 general seats. Applications run into thousands. Odds fall below 3–5% , making them tougher than IITs, IIMs, or even Ivy League Vidyalayas: In 2024, KV Balvatika-1 (nursery) seats were filled through a public draw; in some regions, thousands of applicants competed for a few dozen seats.'Getting a seat in a top Delhi school today is like winning a lottery,' says Vivek Mehra, a father who applied to nine schools for his son. 'We weren't celebrating New Year; we were refreshing websites for admission lists.'THE COST: SCHOOLING AS AN INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO Fees vary wildly, but in Tier-1 metros:Delhi top-tier schools: 2.5–6 lakh per year (20,000–50,000 per month) + admission charges up to 1.5 IB schools: 4–10 lakh per year, with 'infrastructure' and 'development' fees premium schools: 2–4 lakh annually, rising sharply in higher top of this come uniforms, books, activity charges, and transport. Parents report first-year bills touching 7–8 lakh in premium setups. One Gurgaon parent summed it up bluntly: 'My MBA cost less than what I will end up paying for my daughter's nursery to Class 5.' Parents complain the 'sibling-alumni advantage' makes elite schools near-impossible for first-time entrants. 'Unless you already have one child inside, it feels like a closed club,' says Neha Kapoor, whose son was rejected from all six schools they applied QUALIFICATIONS: THE PHANTOM FILTERWhile Delhi banned 'unfair criteria' like mother's education or parents' job profiles years ago, many forms still ask for details. Parents fear bias even if it's not officially used.'I was asked about my occupation in three schools,' says Rahul Khanna, an IT professional. 'Even if they claim it doesn't matter, as a parent you're constantly second-guessing: Am I educated enough? "Do I earn enough for them to consider me?'THE STRESS: A FAMILY AFFAIRadvertisementNursery admissions are not just about children they become a family-wide project , parents relocating homes to qualify under the distance criterion. Mothers quitting jobs to 'spend more time' on application postponing or timing second children to take warn of a deeper problem. 'We are transferring competitive anxiety from teenagers to toddlers,' says child counsellor Dr. Anjali Verma. 'Parents come to me with panic attacks because their three-year-old didn't make it into a particular school. This is unhealthy, and it trickles down to the child.'THE ALTERNATIVE: PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE RISEInterestingly, government-run 'model schools' (Delhi SoSE, PM SHRI, etc.) are seeing record applications—tens of thousands for a few thousand seats. For middle-class families priced out of private options, these are becoming TAKEAWAY FOR PARENTSadvertisementDo the math early: Check point systems and distance before wide: Most parents apply to 8–12 schools; don't pin hopes on realistically: Tuition is just the start—add 30–40% for panic over rejection: Lottery-driven systems are unpredictable.- Ends

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store