In order to develop writing skills among students, the Government Primary School, Ajabpur, has started an in-house magazine called Ajabpur Khabar, said school Principal Abha Gaur.
Students are told to visit important places in the locality and express their views through their writings. Some articles written by students were also published in the monthly magazine of the education department, she added.
Gaur said that around 40 students of Class V have been given responsibility of preparing reports for in-house magazine. Students are told to write about their daily routine, previous day's events in their home, in the locality and other places they had visited after school hours. A daily newspaper is purchased in the school and students are told to read it and write down important news of the city, state, nation and the world in their notebook.
In the prayer meeting, students are told to inform the assembly about the previous day's news, what they observed in their locality, read in the newspapers and watched on television.
After the assembly, students are told to write relevant news which they came to know about in the prayer meet. The school organises an annual educational tour and students are told to report about their experiences during this tour. Important and relevant reports prepared by the students are included in the in-house magazine.
When this correspondent visited the school to interact with students, they interviewed him in stead. Class V student Anuradha said that a person had bought a home in her locality a day ago while Komal said that roads are being repaired in his locality. Sohan said that his neighbour Radha had celebrated her birthday on Wednesday.
Students also shared their ambitions with most of them dreaming of joining the police, army or becoming teachers while no one showed any interest in becoming a politician. According to principal, some articles written by students were also published in the education department magazine Bal Dhamal.
Isha's report titled 'Dadi Ka Interview' (Grandmother's interview) was published in Bal Dhamal. In the interview, she had put several questions to her grandmother about her family and background. Her write up titled ‘Aabra ka Dabra', on how to make a dustbin by recycling an old container was also published in the magazine.
In the in-house magazine, Amit's report revealed that he wants to become a cricketer. If he becomes a cricketer, he will score a century and win the man of the match award. He would be interviewed during the award ceremony so he wants to learn English to speak fluently in the interview.
"The objective of making the in-house magazine is to improve writing skills of the enrolled students," Gaur added.
She further said, "In order to improve their handwriting, students are told to write two pages daily from their text books and show it to their class teacher". According to her, more than 160 students are studying in the school with only four teachers including a principal posted here. One more teacher should be posted in the school.
Gaur further said that several methods have been applied for improving students' attendance in the school, but around 20-30 students remain absent daily.