Mr. KR. Periakaruppan, Minister for Co-operation, Government of Tamil Nadu, inaugurated the new building of the Government Middle School in Varappur today. The construction of the new infrastructure, which includes a library, smart classrooms, and basic amenities, was fully funded by Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, Madurai, as part of its CSR initiative.
Ms. Asha Ajith IAS, Collector of Sivaganga district, inaugurated the school’s library. The inaugural function saw the participation of Dr. N. Sethuraman, Founder, and Dr. S Gurushankar, Chairman, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center.
The government middle school is serving students from Varapur and four neighbouring villages of Kurumbalur, Sadaiyampatti, Kattaiyanpatti, and Ariyandipatti. However, the school building was old and lacked maintenance. Hence, teachers had to conduct classes under trees and nearby community halls in recent years. Many students discontinued their studies. Some families even moved out of the village for the sake of their children’s education.
When the plight of the students was brought to the attention of the management of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center, it readily came forward to renovate the existing school building and construct a new one for the school in Varappur, as the village is the birthplace of Dr Sethuraman, the founder of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center.
The construction was completed quickly. The new facilities of the school include: a library with Rs. 1.2 lakh worth books; classes with smart boards and audio and video facilities; computer labs; drinking water facilities, and toilets exclusively for boys and girls. The school building now also has safety features such as closed-circuit TV cameras, light posts, and a compound wall. In addition, solar panels are installed to provide uninterrupted power supply.
In his comments, Dr. Gurushankar, Chairman, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center said, “We are very happy to contribute to a noble cause of promoting formal education in this village that has a special connection with us as the birthplace of our founder. We have constructed the building with all modern pedagogical facilities and essential amenities. The students can say goodbye to their safety concerns and focus on their education making use of the library and classrooms equipped with digital equipment. We are also taking necessary steps to upgrade the school to a higher secondary school. We will continue to expand the school infrastructure to make it ready to welcome new students for higher classes. It is our vision that the school will inspire the rural children to aspire more and will provide all the support for them to realise their dreams.”
The inaugural function was attended also by the panchayat officials, teachers and staff of the school, parents, NGO members, and the general public. Ms. I. Malarvizhi Nagarajan, president, Varappur panchayat, Dr. AR. Sivaraman, Project Director, Sivagangai district, Mr. P. Ambikapathy, Chief Educational Officer, Sivagangai district, Mr. G. Chandrakumar, District Education Officer, Devakottai Educational District, and Mr. R. Swaminathan, an educationist. Ms. S. Alamelu Mangai, Headmistress of the school offered a vote of thanks.
Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center is also taking steps to upgrade the middle school to a high school in near future, and to a higher secondary school, eventually. At present, students who complete eighth standard must travel three kilometres to S. Puttur, a nearby town, to continue their school education. However, the town is located across a hill, and does not have proper road connectivity, and regular bus services.