The government primary school, PUPS Ariyapakkam is located right on the highway a Kilometer from Periyapalayam on the way to Uthukottai. Our teacher Thenmozhi’s house is just next door to the school. Despite being openly visible to everyone, the mini-school here started right in June 2020. The mini-school also opened in 2021 right in June. The mini-school has been running mostly from the teacher’s house. It has also occasionally run in one of school buildings next door.

In January Thenmozhi also started a second batch with children from Periyapalayam – these are mostly Narikorava children whose families sell various items to the devotees who come to the Periyapalayam temple (a fairly prominent Amman temple). This year started in June with one more teacher, Anusuya, also coming to this school. However Anusuya was not there on October 22nd when I conducted these interviews.

I went at the time of the first batch and could therefore talk only to them.

Did you have family support in running the mini-school?
Family was fully supportive of the mini-school. My in-laws fully cooperated. My husband even helped with the mini-school. Initially there were many photos you would have seen from my mini-school with Yoga activities. These Yoga activities were all taught to the children by my husband. When he was not going to work, he was helping with the mini-schools.

How was the Corona fear in this area and for yourself?
As my house is right on the highway, I was more afraid that some authorities may create problems. In the early period, there was a visit from a BRT to the school and they asked questions about the mini-school. But they didn’t create any problems. Other than during the first and second wave, there wasn’t much fear of Corona.
The people in the village were always happy to send their children to the school. Especially the second batch was very supportive. A few of the mothers organized themselves and took all the children with them when they came as their houses were a Kilometer or two away.

Were there any problems running the mini-schools?
No major problems. For the second batch of students, the parents were scared to send the children by the main road as it is a major highway with heavy traffic. They wanted to travel by a back way. That path runs by a temple. People in the village did not want the Narikoravas to travel by that temple! This problem has been there even when the children were attending the regular PUPS Ariyapakkam school. This thankfully finally got sorted out last year and thus made it easy for the children to come to the mini-school.

How did Corona affect your family financially?
My husband lost his job for a few months during the first lockdown. The family was dependent on my income. But now he also got another job and we are doing alright.

What was different about the mini-school?
I enjoyed much greater freedom when teaching in the mini-school vs what I did when I was working at the school. I could focus on teaching the children. I learnt a lot during the mini-school about conducting activities, arts and crafts, science experiments etc.

What will you take to the school from what you did in the mini-schools?
Lesson preparation. I will spend more time thinking about how to teach a concept to the children and what activity I can use to teach it. I will implement more activities. I will also use art and craft more in my class. I feel confident that I can even do art and craft work for the whole school during the art and craft hour in the weekly schedule.

Will you miss the mini-school?
Yes Sir. I will miss it very much. I will miss the freedom I had during the mini-school. In the school I will always be answerable to the HM. In the mini-school, the children were also very free with me and Anusuya. The relationship is more restricted in the school. During the first year, I was working alone all the time. It was a lot of work but it was also very fulfilling.

About the Students
I talked to the following students.

• D. Joshikashree Will be going to 4th Std at PUPS Ariyapakkam. She is teacher Thenmozhi’s daughter. She was studying at St Joseph’s Matriculation school before Corona.
• A. Roshni Will be going to 3rd Std at PUPS Ariyapakkam. Was at same school. Was always regular. Very sincere in her work.
• K. Prithikashri Will be going to 4th Std at PUPS Ariyapakkam. Was at same school. Very sincere in her work.
• V.L.Harish Will be going to 5th Std at Victoria Matriculation School. Was at same school.
• Kishore Will be going to 4th Std at PUPS Ariyapakkam. Was at same school.

Before Corona, many of the children were going to private schools. But with the Corona, and thanks largely to the mini-school, most of the children have enrolled with PUPS Ariyapakkam.

How was the mini-school?
All Children: Enjoyed learning through games and activities. Each of them had a different favourite. Some liked the craft activities, some enjoyed the science experiments, etc.

What do you feel about going back to school?
Girls: Scared of going to new school. They enjoyed being here in the mini-school and are sad about it ending.
Boys: Excited about going to the new school. Waiting to see old friends in some cases!