Harithavidyalayam is an education reality show being telecast on Doordarshan (Malayalam) daily at 8.30p.m.
Inaugurated on 19th November2010, by Education Minister, M.A.Baby; its an initiative to identify the best school in Gods own country. The programme aims to pool best practices in education at primary and higher levels onto a common platform, so as to explore pilot and model projects for replication and duplication, where possible. Learning through our mother tongue enhances the process of education. So, Malayalam should be seen as a medium for learning at school levels; he suggested. There is a popular belief that private schools are better than public schools. This is not true. So, this programme indirectly facilitates to shift focus from this pseudo belief to the developments in the mainstream education sector.
VIDEO LINK ON CEREMONIAL OPENING OF HARITHA VIDYALAYAM PROGRAMME
The programme was conceived by Anvar Sadath, Executive Director, IT@school and is jointly coordinated by SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan); SIET (State Institution of Educational Technology); C-DIT (Centre for Development of Imaging Technology); etc.The concept, coordination and execution are simply superb.
Telecast on Doordarshan from November22, 2010 and running to about 100 episodes; it starts with a title song with lyrics by O.N.V.Kurup that aptly strikes the theme. Music by Isaac and sung by popular playback singers Vijay Yesudas and Shweta Mohan it draws one to their seats as the show begins. Visuals of the song have been shot superbly creating nostalgia in the minds of every Keralites. With a magical trance it is an apt curtain raiser that covers our backwaters, rowboats, rural and natural scenic beauty, folk arts and all probable activities in our schools; each merging into the other in a cogent manner.
Initial applications were invited from recognized schools willing to participate in the programme during September-October, 2010. 3 schools were shortlisted from each educational district. Academic brilliance, creativity and innovativeness were analyzed and 127 schools participated in the first round. Evaluations during this stage were in accordance with the popular Green Kerala Express, the social reality show projecting our Panchayats.
Each school was given ten aspects and permitted to choose any 3 areas of strength, which was also evaluated. The major criteria encompassed Academics, Infrastructure, IT based education, Social indulgence, Environment, General health & Sanitation, Resource pooling and Utilization, Physical fitness, Innovations etc.
In the first round 26 LP, 36UP and 65 HS participated.
Each episode that was telecast covered 2 schools a day in a span of 40 minutes. Anchored by Premita Prem, with a striking introduction in the script daily; each episode had 3 major segments. The first part covered a part of the school profile followed by a short video recorded at school and the last part was an active, spontaneous interaction of school team (about 10-20 members); comprising Principal, teachers, Manager and selected student representatives with the jury.
Each episode that was telecast covered 2 schools a day in a span of 40 minutes. Anchored by Premita Prem, with a striking introduction in the script daily; each episode had 3 major segments. The first part covered a part of the school profile followed by a short video recorded at school and the last part was an active, spontaneous interaction of school team (about 10-20 members); comprising Principal, teachers, Manager and selected student representatives with the jury.
The jury chaired by Dr.R.V.G.Menon; had Dr.Piyush Antony (Social Protection Officer, UNICEF, Hyderabad); Dr.Achuth Sankar; Smt.K.R.Meera (Freelance Journalist and Writer), Akbar Kakkattil (former teacher and popular writer); as permanent members and two invited guests as expert members.The manner in which each of them dealt with kids to make them comfortable during the interactive session, the way the questions were framed to adapt to the level of school kids, the modes, the approach and attitude exhibited during each evaluation process are all highly commendable. Experts in their own niches, their simple, straight forward and child-friendly nature took the show a mile further.
The guest experts kept on changing and the range was quite wide. It brought in famous personnel’s like Prof.M.K.Prasad, Smt.Parvathy Devi, D.Vinayachandran, Dr.Seema Bhaskar, E.Kunjikannan, A.Shajahan.I.A.S and so on…
The studio set up, floor arrangements, colour combinations, lighting all exhibit the talent of the team involved. The site on Haritha vidyalayam with all necessary details updated regularly needs special mention. This reality show in itself is an exemplary example of how a government project, jointly coordinated by different agencies and covering hundreds of participants from all over Kerala can be effectively organised and executed in so smooth a manner, for benefit of the society at large; especially the student community.
The guest experts kept on changing and the range was quite wide. It brought in famous personnel’s like Prof.M.K.Prasad, Smt.Parvathy Devi, D.Vinayachandran, Dr.Seema Bhaskar, E.Kunjikannan, A.Shajahan.I.A.S and so on…
The studio set up, floor arrangements, colour combinations, lighting all exhibit the talent of the team involved. The site on Haritha vidyalayam with all necessary details updated regularly needs special mention. This reality show in itself is an exemplary example of how a government project, jointly coordinated by different agencies and covering hundreds of participants from all over Kerala can be effectively organised and executed in so smooth a manner, for benefit of the society at large; especially the student community.
SAMPLE EPISODES
Lot of specialties from different schools got showcased during these simple interactions. This ranged from display of infrastructure facilities like efficient libraries, smart classrooms, digital or audiovisual rooms, separate labs for computer, science, languages, etc; participation and contribution to literary, arts, sports and science fairs; playgrounds, proper toilets, cultivation of ornamentals, vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants etc in the school premises and planting of trees (Ente Maram) at home; preparation of biodiversity register; watching birds and butterflies; animal welfare club, newspapers, short films and what not. Unique occasions where mothers took turns to join in the food preparation for kids; teleconferencing by students from certain schools; the attitude for upliftment of underprivileged children were noteworthy. While most schools had effective PTA, endowments by alumni, cooperation from expert and famous former students as motivators, even the intervention of social clubs in upholding the standards of some schools for value based education were also seen. Newsletters, poster exhibitions and campaigns were also part of the process along with multifaceted project works.
Kozhikode district had 16 educational districts. Balussery, Chombala, Chevayur, Feroke, Koyilandy, Kozhikode city and rural, Kunnamangalam, Kunnumel, Melady, Mukkom, Nadapuram, Perambra, Thamarassery, Thodanur and Vatakara. Altogether 13 schools participated in the first round. There were only two schools from Calicut Corporation. They were B.E.M.Girls L.P.School and St.Joseph’s Boys HSS. Other schools that participated in the programme were: GLPS THONDUMMAL, KOODALIL AND PONMERI; GMUPS ELETHIL, KODIYATHUR, MANASSERY, CHERUVADY AND THRIKUTTISSERY; GHSS, PERAMBRA; SACRED HEART HSS THIRUVAMBADY AND KPES HS KAYAKODI Etc. None qualified for the second round.
From the more than 100 schools in first lap, 10 schools were short listed for the second round which is in progress now. It is also telecast on the same time and same duration, each school a day. The jury members are directly visiting all these schools and appraising the real atmosphere, talents, exposure and facilities. After the same, winners would be declared.
The schools participating in this second round are listed below.
Sl.no | Name of school | Location | Score |
1 | GUPS, Nemom | Neyyattinkara, Thiruvananthapuram | 98.00 |
2 | GUPS, Koottakani | Kanjangad, Kasargod | 97.40 |
3 | GGHSS, Cotton Hills | Thiruvananthapuram | 96.00 |
4 | GRHSS, Kottakkal | Malappuram | 95.30 |
5 | NAMHSS, Peringathur | Thalassery, Kannur | 95.20 |
6 | PPMHSS, Kottukara | Malappuram | 95.00 |
7 | SDVGUPS, Neerkunnam | Aalapuzha | 94.80 |
8 | ALPS, Peringode | Ottapalam, Palakkad | 95.00 |
9 | SBHSS, Changanassery | Kottayam | 94.20 |
10 | GHS, Avanavandhery | Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram | 94.10 |
11 | GHSS, Karuvarakundu | Wandoor, Malappuram | 94.10 |
12 | GUPS, Keechery | Ernakulam | 94.10 |
Viewers are eagerly awaiting declaration of results. The final ceremony is proposed to be conducted at Thunjan Paramba soon…
The programme was already by local media and others during inauguration, with adequate followup in between and at completion of 50 episodes and so on. A glimpse on theON CNN-IBN NEWS coverage goes below.
The programme was already by local media and others during inauguration, with adequate followup in between and at completion of 50 episodes and so on. A glimpse on theON CNN-IBN NEWS coverage goes below.
The best school selected would receive a cash prize worth 15 lakhs INR. The first and second runner ups would get 10lakhs and 5 lakhs INR respectively. For those schools who are enlisted as 4th to 10th positions, the prize is Rs.2lakhs each. All schools that participated would be given cash worth Rs. 10000.00 as well.
Parents, rather layman, who have been tracing the changes in curriculum and mode of teaching along with the changes in mode of study through participatory and activity based learning methods, since implementation of DPEP in 1996, through SSA were keen to watch this programme telecast in about 100 episodes both on Doordarshan and Victers Channel. From this, we have realized that activity based participatory and interactive learning is actually taking place in our Government and aided schools in an appreciable way and we can soon be proud of the transformation in the education scenario.
Efforts to equip and refresh our teachers, helping the majority to adapt and adopt the new methods in teaching, rekindling the commitment to their profession wherever lacking, stream lining of staff recruitment in aided schools also under PSC, timely inspection and proper monitoring of administration, providing better infrastructure and so on...With an attitude to achieve and succeed, the quality of general education sector in Kerala can definitely be revamped through a participatory revolutionary style!
In an era where private schools are mushrooming like STD booths in every nook and corner of the state and the significance of education merely getting reduced to a profitable business, executive machinery has to intervene and the initiative by our state Government in this regard is most welcome.
With the backdrop of latest Supreme Court ruling that 25% of seats are for the poor sections and that managements are not eligible to question national policies, the impact of this programme becomes far fetched. Lets hope that harithavidyalayam lays foundation to formulate adequate reforms towards sustainable education in future.
Seeds of confidence has been sown in the minds of innumerable students in our mainstream schools, let them sprout and grow into full-fledged personalities.Let teachers draw inspiration and transform themselves into burning lamps to uphold values of this noble profession...
This reality show, the first of its kind, has been a real success in being an eye opener to this vision and let us hope the flame remain ablaze.
Efforts to equip and refresh our teachers, helping the majority to adapt and adopt the new methods in teaching, rekindling the commitment to their profession wherever lacking, stream lining of staff recruitment in aided schools also under PSC, timely inspection and proper monitoring of administration, providing better infrastructure and so on...With an attitude to achieve and succeed, the quality of general education sector in Kerala can definitely be revamped through a participatory revolutionary style!
In an era where private schools are mushrooming like STD booths in every nook and corner of the state and the significance of education merely getting reduced to a profitable business, executive machinery has to intervene and the initiative by our state Government in this regard is most welcome.
With the backdrop of latest Supreme Court ruling that 25% of seats are for the poor sections and that managements are not eligible to question national policies, the impact of this programme becomes far fetched. Lets hope that harithavidyalayam lays foundation to formulate adequate reforms towards sustainable education in future.
Seeds of confidence has been sown in the minds of innumerable students in our mainstream schools, let them sprout and grow into full-fledged personalities.Let teachers draw inspiration and transform themselves into burning lamps to uphold values of this noble profession...
This reality show, the first of its kind, has been a real success in being an eye opener to this vision and let us hope the flame remain ablaze.
For more information:
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