This TN school headmaster won’t mind kneeling before students with folded hands

Bosco Dominique | TNN | Updated: Feb 7, 2018, 19:22 IST



Headmaster D Babu pleading with a student to attend classes

VILLUPURAM: D Balu, the headmaster of a municipal higher secondary school at Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, believes that no act of kindness, no matter how small, goes waste. He does not wield a cane like other teachers do but uses the strongest weapons on earth - kindness and compassion - to discipline students and help them move up in the academic ladder.
The students, including the mischief mongers, arrogant, latecomers and slow learners, cannot offer any excuse when the humble headmaster visits their houses on the outskirts of the town and pleads with them with folded hands to concentrate on their academic activities. Sometimes, the headmaster goes one step further and drop to his knees with folded hands in front of the students and their parents and plead with them to send their children to school regularly.

A former student of Kamaraj Municipal Higher Secondary School in Villupuram town (studied there in the late 1970s), Balu joined as a commerce (vocational) teacher in the same school in 1984. When he was posted as the headmaster in his alma mater two years ago after serving at different schools, his efforts to reach out the students grew manifold.

"Most of the children attending the school are the first generation students who cleared Class VIII or Class X. They hail from poor families lacking any sort of motivation to excel in academic activities. Many have discontinued and resumed the studies with great difficulties. Being slow learners, they need tremendous motivation to climb up the academic ladder," Balu said.

Like his predecessors and peers, Balu also initially was harsh on the students criticising them for their failures and lack of interest in academics. "I realised the usual approach will never ever yield any fruitful results. I noticed the change in the attitude of the students and parents when I changed my approach. I attempted to understand the problems concerning the students and their families and started focusing on them by visiting their houses and offering to counsel," he said.


 

Headmaster D Babu (left) visiting a student's house
The change in approach began when he was serving as the headmaster of Arignar Anna Municipal Higher Secondary School at Chengalpet. A student dropped out of the school after his elder sister had passed away. Balu visited the student's house on the outskirts of the town and pleaded with him and his parents with folded hands to resume his studies. "They were taken aback at my gesture. In a couple of days, the student started attending the school again," he said.
Latest CommentGreat, My salute to the great headmaster.A SHAJEHAN

Balu said he wanted to touch upon the lives of hundreds of students in government schools. "I will continue my efforts irrespective of the criticism I receive. There are many dedicated teachers in government schools who overcome all obstacles and focus only the needs of the students," he said.
Balu was honoured for his services by the Villupuram district collector L Subramanian and chief education officer during the Republic Day celebrations this year.