The books brought out as part of the pilot project of the State Education Department, Vasippu Iyakkam (Reading Movement), tackles issues and topics that are no longer discussed in textbooks.
With a set of 53 books, the initiative is an effort to make reading more friendly and accessible for students of government schools. Books such as No Sollu (Say no), a book on refusal skills that also discusses caste; Mudhal Asiriyar (First Teacher), a book on Savitribai Phule; and Padikka Annupanga (Send Me to Study) that introduces children to Begum Rokeya, are also a way for the students to better understand their rights.
“Where do textbooks now address these things? It has become rote learning and exam-oriented,” says Sa. Madasamy, the author of No Sollu.
Speaking about the need for the project, he said: “In the late 1950s in western countries there was a reading movement which enabled students to read for pleasure. They did not feel alienated from books. This never happened in India. Books even today have remained only for the middle and educated class, not the literate people. Books still remain something foreign.”
Introduced in July in 11 districts, the books are divided into four stages, and the reading levels are increased as students progress into the last stage. The books are given to children during the library period by volunteers of the Illam Thedi Kalvi project. When the child shows more interest in reading, then they are given the books of the next stage, said an official from the Education Department.
The project was started to make reading more simplistic and not just associated with textbooks. “Certain skillsets such as refusal skills are taught to my granddaughter, who is studying in a western country. When the same was introduced in Tamil Nadu through text books during Samacheer Kalvi, there was backlash,” said the 76-year-old, who was on the Textbook Committee in 2011.
The preparation for the books started a year ago. “There are only steps when things are normal but there are no remedial measures for when a calamity, such as COVID-19, strikes. This calamity brought forth the holes in the learning gap that can be rectified through Vasippu Iyakkam,” said an official from the department.
The books are available for students from Classes IV to XII. The response has been good but the approach has to be bigger, feels Mr. Madasamy. “The kids need to write. There needs to be more women writers. The children should take centre stage. In Finland, when children enter libraries, they see books written by their peers, here we have a long way to go,” he said.
The Education Department is in talks to expand the programme State-wide and also bring out another set of books. “Usually, the library periods are not conducted as teachers are rushing to complete portions. This project has ensured that it is conducted. We are likely to rope in teachers who can take this forward and provide them with training so that the children can read more enthusiastically. This phase will begin in Tiruvannamalai first,” said an official.
However, the project has also brought to light the fact that many students are reading without understanding. “The students are reading and also claim that they have completed all the books but are unable to explain the story when asked. More training is planned for volunteers so that students can begin to read silently and also understand the book in depth,” the official said.
