Summer vacation is now a time for stories and crafts for many primary school children. A group of dedicated teachers is making reading enjoyable through a programme called ‘Vesavi Vennela’. The initiative focuses on students in government schools and combines storytelling with creative activities.
‘Vesavi Vennela’ is part of a larger effort known as ‘FROOTS’. This programme was launched during the pandemic to support government school children with literacy and numeracy skills. It uses remote teaching, online learning, and collaborative methods across the state. The summer sessions aim to make learning easier and more fun.
Over 30 government school teachers create bilingual story cards in Telugu and English. These cards show pictures and themes that help children understand and tell stories. According to Manga Rani, Headmistress of Sri Nagaraja Municipal Corporation Elementary School in Rajamahendravaram, the story cards help students not only listen but also read, learn, and create on their own.
Children connect online on all days except weekends. They listen to stories and then do craft activities like drawing, painting, puppetry, and origami. The stories are recorded in audio or video and shared among schools and teachers. This helps keep the learning going even after the session ends.
The Annual Status of Education Report has shown a decline in basic literacy among children. To address this, teachers from different parts of the state volunteer their time to conduct these virtual classes. They hope to improve learning outcomes and keep children engaged during the summer.
Velugoti Naresh, a secondary grade teacher at MPPS Gottigundala BC in Nellore, explains that each district’s teachers design story cards with new themes every week. On weekends, the FROOTS team meets on Zoom to improve and plan the sessions.
The ‘Vesavi Vennela’ programme has brought a positive change. Children are more interested in books, stories, and crafts. Parents have noticed that their children spend less time watching TV or using digital screens.
Looking ahead, the teachers plan to add assessments to measure how well the summer engagement helps students learn.
