22 TN govt school students head to Germany for educational tour under Kalvi Suttrula initiative
Chennai: In a major initiative under the Tamil Nadu government's Kalvi Suttrula (educational tour) initiative, 22 government school students from across the state embarked on a week-long educational tour to Germany, beginning Saturday and continuing until May 28.
This overseas trip is a reward for students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in both academics and extracurricular activities.
A teacher and an official from the School Education Department are accompanying the group on their educational journey through Munich.
During the trip, the students will engage in a city tour and visit renowned universities and educational institutions in the Bavarian capital.
The group will also visit iconic locations such as the BMW Museum, Dachau Concentration Camp, and the Deutsches Museum, providing the students with exposure to both Germany's industrial innovation and its historical legacy.
In addition, the tour includes a visit to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds and the Hungerburg Funicular, offering the students a blend of culture, science and engineering marvels.
The entire tour is fully funded by the Tamil Nadu government, with an estimated cost of ₹3 crore, highlighting its commitment to comprehensive education for students from economically weaker backgrounds.
The Kalvi Suttrula initiative, launched in 2022-23, was announced by the State School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to recognise and reward students excelling not just in academics but also in co-curricular forums such as fine arts, book reading, science clubs, children's films and sports.
Under the initiative, students from government middle, high, and higher secondary schools who win competitions at the school, block, district, and state levels are selected for international educational exposure.
According to the State School Education Department, a total of 323 students have benefitted from the programme so far.
Earlier tours have taken students to several countries including the UAE, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
In one instance, 25 students each from the quiz and rainbow clubs were taken to South Korea, 24 from the children's film club also visited South Korea, 25 students from the literary club travelled to Singapore, 21 from the art club to Malaysia, and 22 from the sports club to Japan.
This innovative programme aims to broaden students' horizons and inspire them through international exposure, while also promoting inclusive educational opportunities in Tamil Nadu.
IANS