Chennai, Sep 30 (NationPress) Primary school educators throughout Tamil Nadu are set to participate in a new training session from October 7 to 10 as part of the state’s flagship Ennum Ezhuthum (EE) initiative. This program is designed to close the learning gaps observed in early-grade students. The sessions will be facilitated by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and represent the first significant training effort of the academic year.

According to senior officials from the Education Department, this training targets teachers instructing Classes 1 to 5, where students have been divided into three groups based on their current learning abilities.

This comprehensive four-day training will equip teachers to tailor lessons for each group and implement the “time on task” strategy, which ensures students receive maximum classroom engagement for reading, writing, and problem-solving.

In addition to fundamental teaching strategies, educators will receive guidance on utilizing new handbooks, collecting and interpreting student data, and incorporating innovative techniques to simplify foundational numeracy and literacy concepts.

“This marks just the first phase of training for this year; additional sessions are on the horizon to enhance classroom instruction,” stated an official.

Initially launched to address the learning losses caused by COVID-19, the ‘Ennum Ezhuthum (EE)’ initiative initially encompassed Classes 1 to 3 but has now been expanded to include Class 5.

This initiative, which is supported by specialized workbooks and graded educational materials, seeks to ensure that every child achieves age-appropriate skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Officials report encouraging outcomes. “EE has consistently improved foundational learning metrics, motivating us to broaden the initiative and introduce complementary programs like the Theeran scheme,” a source from the Education Department remarked.

Earlier this year, findings from the State-Level Achievement Survey (SLAS) conducted by the State Planning Commission revealed that Tamil Nadu's Class 3 and Class 5 performance in Tamil, English, EVS, and Mathematics surpassed both state and national averages as per the 2021 National Achievement Survey (NAS).

The report credited this success largely to EE's systematic approach. However, some educators express concerns about waning momentum as focus shifts to new initiatives for Classes 6 to 8.

“While we welcome the return to paper-based assessments and support EE's objectives, it is crucial that implementation remains steady and adapts to classroom realities,” commented a primary school teacher.

As the new training cycle approaches, the Education Department aims to rejuvenate the program and maintain the momentum of Tamil Nadu's early learning recovery.