Experiment in informal learning

MALEEHA RAGHAVIAH, Kozhikode

Children in Standards III and IV of a lower primary government school in Kannancherry, a rural suburb near Kozhikode, were a fortunate lot this summer. They were able to attend sessions in writing, painting, drawing and even story telling. Mr. N. Balakrishnan, headmaster conceived the idea, and teachers, parents and the local people chipped in to make it a different vacation.

Earlier as part of the academic curriculum, children had visited the District Court, the jail, and the police station. The visits were part of a new programme titled 'Study outside the classroom'. Interfaces were arranged with the local postmaster, a physical education teacher from a nearby high school and a retired sub-inspector who spoke to them on a much desired situation - a crime-free society.

Later, the children were given an opportunity to exhibit the knowledge they had gathered during these visits outside the school. They enacted a court scene complete with judge, lawyers, accused and the complainant. The audience comprising mainly mothers quizzed the children on various aspects of courts, police station and jail. One could not but admire the confidence with which the children answered the queries - often tough - from the parents. The programme ended with a group dance in which even the headmaster joined in.

What is special here is the revival of the village school, the condition of which children in city schools cannot visualise. The facilities offered are few and even something as simple as the uniform was introduced only recently.

Two years ago the school was almost closed down, (a threat many Government schools in Kerala faced) due to lack of students and a decreasing population. The total strength of students in Std. I was 18.

The headmaster set up a committee with parents and people in the locality to revive the school. Together, they conceived ways to uplift the school from the sorry state of affairs into which it had fallen.

The efforts paid off. There are over 80 students in Class I now, and the school authorities are confident that from this new academic year the number would be higher. The school is now back in the saddle. And is in the forefront of experiments in informal learning.

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