The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Takko school offers free education for the poor

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Takko school offers free education for the poor

Staff Reporter

350 students will be taken in the first phase

Photo: M. Balaji

Human face: School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu handing over school bag to a student at the inauguration of Takko school in Thattanur village, near Avinashi, in Coimbatore district on Friday. Also in the picture are (from left) Mrs. and Mr. Arnold Mattschull, managing director of Takko Fashion, Germany; A. Sakthivel, president, Tirupur Exporters Association; and DheenadhayalaPandian, Managing Trustee, Takko Educational Trust. –

TIRUPUR: A leading European retail chain Takko, which sources knitwear garments from here for the last three decades, has inaugurated a matriculation school at Thattanur Village, near here, to provide quality education free of cost to the underprivileged children as a goodwill gesture.

School Education Minister Thangam Thennaru on Friday inaugurated the school by hoisting the Tricolour and distributing free books. Terming the school a model for others in providing excellent learning experience with fun, he said that the initiative would make the poor children better citizens of the country.

While the Government aimed at a teacher-student ratio of 1:30, at the Takko school it will be 1:26. He expressed the hope that the students would get education on a par with international standards.

100 schools upgraded

The Minister said that the Government was planning to have a primary school every km, a high school every 5 km and a higher secondary school every 7 km in the State. This academic year 100 high schools would be elevated to higher secondary schools.

The Takko School will provide free education from kindergarten to Plus-Two. Uniforms, bags, books, meals, shoes will be provided free of cost. Education trips too will be provided.

Arnold Mattschull, Managing Director, Takko Fashion, Germany, recalled his relationship with the knitwear city of Tirupur for the last 30 years, and his travel on scooter in the town those days.

“When I compare Tirupur of yesteryears with the present city, I find that it has tremendously changed,” he said. He said that the affection he was having towards the people here had prompted him to do something for them.

In the first phase the school will admit 350 students up to Standard V.

The funds required for running the school would be provided by Takko Holding GmbH.

Unveiling the inaugural stone, Alexander Mattschull of Takko Fashion said the project was planned, decided and executed within a short span of time. “I am sure that the school will increase the potential of ability of the children and will make them successful citizens,” he said.

Tirupur Exporters’ Association president A. Sakthivel lauded the Takko Fashion for their humanitarian gesture. C. Deenathayalapandian, Managing Trustee of Takko Educational Trust briefed about the project. C. Mallika, principal of the school proposed a vote of thanks.

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