Students must be trained to think on their feet, be agile and innovate using cutting-edge technology to solve 21st Century problems, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said.
After inaugurating the Vellore International School (VIS) at Kayar village near Kelambakkam, the Vice-President said students must be encouraged to speak freely in their mother-tongue. Focusing on our mother-tongue did not mean that one need not learn other languages like English, he said.
“One should learn as many languages as possible, but what is required is a strong foundation in the mother language. Studies have shown that multilingualism could lead to better cognitive development in children. Proficiency in other languages, in addition to one's mother-tongue, helps build cultural bridges and opens windows to new worlds of experience,” he said.
The inauguration took place in the presence of VIT Chancellor G. Viswanathan and Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises T.M. Anbarasan.
VIS is from the house of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and, with this launch, the group has forayed into the school education space. It has big plans lined up in the coming years. A co-educational residential school, VIS is situated on 35 acres of green surroundings in the midst of a 1,500-acre reserve forest area. To start with, in the academic year 2022-23, the school will offer ICSE and Cambridge Board curricula for grades 5-8. “In the coming years we will add classes 9-12,” G.V. Selvam, Chairman, Vellore International School, Chennai, and Vice-President, VIT, told The Hindu.
“The total planned built-up area of the school is 5.5 lakh sq. ft. In the first phase, 2.5 lakh sq. ft. has been developed. We have invested ₹100 crore for this school, and will be infusing another ₹50 crore for the next round of development,” Mr. Selvam added.
He explained that VIS was the result of six years of detailed brainstorming and meticulous planning. “When we decided to start a school, we wanted it to be the best in all aspects. I personally visited many such schools across the country. A lot of study went into how unique this school can be when compared to others. And, our experience in providing higher education at VIT gave good insights.” he said.
The VIT Group is also looking at setting up a school in Chennai city for juniors (up to class 4). “We are working on it, and you will hear an announcement next year,” Mr. Selvam said.
