Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

A peep into the British system

Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a year off from college may be an unacceptable proposition for most students in India. But for students abroad, a gap year means an opportunity to travel and gain experience before landing a job.

Many students in western countries now opt for gap year programmes, though it is still a costly option. Students believe that the experience is worth it.

At a face-to-face programme hosted by ViCTERS Channel of IT@School Project, five students from the UK, who are in the city as part of their gap year programme, shared their experiences with city school students.

The programme gives an insight into the trends in the British education system .

“Many students in the West are opting for India as their destination for gap year programmes. Travelling in foreign countries is basically a learning experience. Students engage in projects and volunteering programmes related to their area of interest while touring,” said Babu Menon, country director of Global Volunteer Projects, a UK-based establishment that facilitates gap year programmes for students.

The company has already brought around 70 students to the State since 2007.

Emma Wade, Philip Rankin, Amrit Bhambra, Priya Raleon and Faizaan, who participated in the programme, chose to spend their gap year in Kerala because of the positive response they got from those who visited the State earlier.

“We were all interested in visiting India. There are so many factors that made us choose Kerala, right from the high literacy rate to the high social indices. There are many things about Kerala that make it a unique destination,” said Amrit Bhambra, a 21-year-old student of Nottingham University.

The one-hour programme discusses aspects of the academic curriculum in Britain including the role of sports and extracurricular activities, pattern of examinations and also part-time jobs.

The programme will be aired on the channel on September 5 at 10.05 a.m. and 6.05 p.m.

Sangeetha Unnithan

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