Latest news with #Thiran
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Smart' beginnings: TN returns to school today
Chennai: Digital intervention, along with improving reading, writing, and basic arithmetic skills, is the focus in the new academic year as state board schools will reopen on Monday after the summer vacation. With all govt primary schools equipped with smart boards, students will experience digital intervention from Class I onwards this year. Ahead of reopening, city schools have spruced up their campuses and conducted teacher meetings to plan academic activities. "Students will have a unique experience of digital intervention from Class I itself," elementary education director P A Naresh said. All primary schools are provided with smart boards, and middle schools have got hi-tech labs. "Increasing enrolment, sustaining enrolled students, quality intervention, and zero tolerance to Pocso-related offences will be our main focus this year," he further said. With already 1.85 lakh admissions in Class I in govt schools this year, enrolment could exceed four lakh as most parents will enrol their wards in June. For Classes VI to VIII, the state govt has announced a new 'Thiran' initiative to improve reading, learning, and basic maths skills. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Happens When You Massage Baking Soda Into Your Scalp Read More Undo "Improving reading and writing skills of students from Class VI to VIII in Tamil and English is our top priority. We have also instructed the teachers to use online resources for improving pronunciation and spoken language of students," school education director S Kannappan said. To improve basic arithmetic skills, teachers were asked to focus on teaching tables and repeating them every day. The state govt also announced curriculum and syllabus revision for all classes starting from 2025-26. However, citing pending dues from Union govt, the state govt has not conducted RTE admissions in private schools this year. About 70,000 students enrolled in 8,000 private schools every year. Schools such as MCC Higher Secondary School in Chetpet are planning to take foundational classes for exams such as NEET and JEE for students from Class IX and X during the new academic year. "For the lower classes, we are going to concentrate on reading, writing, and spelling contests in the first month," said G Jebadoss Thinakaran, school headmaster. Chennai corporation schools have set a target to increase admissions and improve performance in board exams. "Our priority is to improve our enrolment this year. We also want more top scorers in Classes X and XII board exams. We will try to implement the new initiative to improve reading and writing skills," said Padmaja R, headmistress of Chennai Girls Higher Secondary School in Saidapet. Other board schools, including CBSE, are planning to reopen after the summer vacation, between June 2 and 6.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
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.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
T.N. school education department to roll out measures to improve students' proficiency in English
In an effort to improve students' proficiency in English, the School Education Department plans to roll out new initiatives to enhance their reading and writing skills in the upcoming academic year. 'Students require an opportunity to step up and speak in a classroom which will improve their command over the language. There is a need to create that space. The new initiative 'Level Up' will focus on these areas,' said a senior official from the School Education Department. It will run parallel to the newly announced Thiran initiative. Focusing on students of Class 6,7,8 and 9, it will focus on reading skills, writing skills and teacher training. Under these areas, activities such as phonics and phonemic awareness, book clubs, comprehension strategies, writing workshops, journaling and peer review among other areas will be the focus. The department has already been implementing Vassipu Iyyakkam programme, library hour and various clubs in an effort to promote reading habit among students. 'We will also be training teachers on the best practices modeled in classrooms apart from involving parents in reading and using technology to aid the programme,' the official added. In this regard, a preliminary discussion was held at the beginning of May where five teachers from each district shared insights into the best practices adopted to develop the students' proficiency in the language. 'These will be compiled in a booklet which would be shared with the teachers to adopt in their classroom. The move will help enhance classroom activity and teaching tools. Further, every month there would be monitoring meetings by the Chief Education Officer, District Education Officer and others to check the implementation of the programme, and collect feedback,' the official added.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
School education department to roll out measures to improve students' proficiency in English
In an effort to improve students' proficiency in English, the School Education Department plans to roll out new initiatives to enhance their reading and writing skills in the upcoming academic year. 'Students require an opportunity to step up and speak in a classroom which will improve their command over the language. There is a need to create that space. The new initiative 'Level Up' will focus on these areas,' said a senior official from the School Education Department. It will run parallel to the newly announced Thiran initiative. Focusing on students of Class 6,7,8 and 9, it will focus on reading skills, writing skills and teacher training. Under these areas, activities such as phonics and phonemic awareness, book clubs, comprehension strategies, writing workshops, journaling and peer review among other areas will be the focus. The department has already been implementing Vassipu Iyyakkam programme, library hour and various clubs in an effort to promote reading habit among students. 'We will also be training teachers on the best practices modeled in classrooms apart from involving parents in reading and using technology to aid the programme,' the official added. In this regard, a preliminary discussion was held at the beginning of May where five teachers from each district shared insights into the best practices adopted to develop the students' proficiency in the language. 'These will be compiled in a booklet which would be shared with the teachers to adopt in their classroom. The move will help enhance classroom activity and teaching tools. Further, every month there would be monitoring meetings by the Chief Education Officer, District Education Officer and others to check the implementation of the programme, and collect feedback,' the official added.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
New Thiran initiative to improve students' proficiency: T.N. School Education Minister
The School Education Department will implement an initiative, 'Thiran', to increase students' proficiency in English, Tamil, and maths, Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said in the Assembly on Friday. At a cost of ₹19 crore, students of Classes VI-VIII at government schools would be given coaching during school hours. The initiative would benefit 13 lakh students, he said. Thirteen new primary schools would be built, while four primary schools, 14 middle schools, and 20 high schools would be upgraded. The curriculum and the textbooks would be revised at a ₹7 crore. Mr. Poyyamozhi said private school Tamil teachers and teachers of other boards would be trained in Tamil teaching methodologies at a cost of ₹4.9 lakh. The POCSO Act awareness training would be conducted for teachers and non-teaching staff members of private schools at a cost of ₹4.9 lakh, while skill development training would be conducted for more than 1.2 lakh teachers at a cost of ₹28 crore. The School Education Minister urged the Union government to disburse the funds under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. 'The State government is now bearing the cost, however the money allotted for us continues to be denied by the Centre,' Mr. Mahesh added. Among the other announcements included life skills and value education modules to be introduced to all classes at Rs 26 lakh. Play equipment and training to children with disabilities would be given to government schools and the teachers would also be trained at Rs 4 crore. Vocational skills such as jewelry making, tailoring among others will be imparted to the learners in adult literacy centres to improve their earning capacity with the coordination of community participation. Skill training will be provided to 12,000 vocational stream students in government higher secondary schools through government Industrial Training Institutes and State skill centre at Rs. 13 crores, the Minister announced. Initiatives will be taken such as reading challenge, storytelling sessions to build reading proficiency of students while a summer camp, Kalaisirpi, for winners of Kalaithiruvizha competitions will also be organised, the Minister announced. He also added that Class 10, 12 equivalent certificates will be issued for students at music schools if they pass the language exams held by the education department.
