PSG COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

(Affiliated to Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, Chennai -5)

PALANISAMI GOUNDER THOOTAM, TIRUCHENGODU ROAD, SANKARI-636301, SALEM DISTRICT A REPORT ON THE BEST PRACTICE FOLLOWED BY THE INSTITUTION TITLE OF THE BEST PRACTICE SOCIALLY USEFUL PRODUCTIVE WORK. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Best Practice followed in this institution is related to the Extension activities carried out by the Teacher-students during the field work undertaken by them while they are undergoing Citizenship Training Camp. The title of the Best Practice can be mentioned as SOCIALLY USEFUL PRODUCTIVE WORK for the benefit of the community. Context that required initiation of the Practice: It is interesting to note that Teacher-students undergoing their course of study-B.Ed would serve in future as Teachers at Secondary and Higher Secondary level schools, where they would be considered as role model by their wards, if the carryout their duty with all sincerity, dedication and devotion. To inculcate the qualities of leadership/ service mind and fraternal feelings with the various kinds of people living in the society, it is imperative to train the students in the field of social and community service.

Further curriculam content meant for the Bachelor Degree course in Education includes necessary emphasis of the same. As per the existing regulation, Teacher students undergoing the course must undertake a camp known as Citizenship training camp extending for a period of five days. During the course of the citizenship Training, every day the students are given training to undertake field work that includes manual work of laying roads, embarking the lake and tank bunds, campus cleaning in the schools and other public buildings such as weekly shandy, Primary Health centre, community hall and worship place like temples. This kind of community service is essential for the completion of the course and as well to know the nuances of the Socio-economic condition of the people living in rural areas rather remote villages. Socially Useful Productive Work carried out in the form of Extension activities has many noble and remarkable objectives. This Socially Useful Productive Work is enabling the students To understand the community in which they work. To understand themselves in relation to their community To identify the needs and problem of the community and the solution needed to solve the problem. To develop among themselves a sense of social and civil responsibility.

To gain skills to mobilize public participation. To acquire leadership qualities and democratic attitude. To know the values of national integration etc. The Practice: The practice of socially useful productive work requires the participation of three elements or group of people. They are the Teacher- Students, The Teacher / the officer in-charge of Extension activities and the Community in which the students are going to undertake their Socially Useful Productive Work. Each group or element to be involved in their productive work clear cut goals and nature of work. The students who constitute the work force group shall have interest and thorough understanding of the community work they are going to undertake. The second element or group, the Teacher who is acting as the guiding spirit and source for the execution of the community work is well trained, experienced and possess skills to lead and the third element or group, the community, representing the people, provides the field for the work. It is necessary that they co-operate and join hands with the Teachers- students who take up the task of rendering social and community service. The Best Practice of the Institution, though revolving round the community there is good amount of interaction between the three basic elements as mentioned earlier. The

vital fact is that no element is over-weighed at the expense of the other. The emphasis is on the integration of the three elements so as produce a balanced and satisfying result. Normally the Best Practice of the Institution leading to Socially Useful Productive Work is related to field work which may be divided into two heads. The first one is related to Institutional Project including improvement of campuses, construction of play fields etc. The second head is much wider including rural projects and urban projects. But as far as our institution is concerned, Socially Useful Productive Work is aiming to take up more rural based projects creating awareness on Literacy awareness on environmental study and ecological balance, minor irrigation works such as deepening of canals or removing the bushes in the already existing canals, planting of saplings, construction of rural roads, particularly providing connectivity to the main district roads and roads leading to burial ground, health awareness, hygiene and sanitation such kinds of works are taken up in the Society Useful Productive Work. Our Institution annually takes up the Socially Useful Productive Work during on the course of Citizenship Training camp which would take place for a period of five continuous days. During the camp student volunteers take up the field work for all five days in the morning session and carry out the rural upliftment work for the benefit of the community. It is note worthy, to state that for the past two years the institution has adopted Chinna Goundanoor village at a distance of 7 kms from Sankari and carries out necessary field work for the benefit of the community and development of the area.

Obstacles faced if any and the strategies adopted to over come them: It is to be mentioned that as such there is no obstacle in carrying out the Socially Useful Productive Work by the institution at the choice of place that it selected. Initially the local community would hesitate to extend any co-operation to the projects undertaken by the student volunteers who are camping for their citizenship training camp. But after witnessing the nature of work taken up by students, They would render whole hearter support. Before commencing the field work, necessary propagation is taken up by the institution through the local authorities and some old students and also through NGOs like Rotary Club and the youth force of the Rotary club like Rotary Rural Corps. The assistance offered by personnel from Health Department and the role of dignitaries who are invited during the course of the camp add strength to the project work. Further the need for the community development serves as an indirect force on the part of the local people to extend co-operation for the project works undertaken by the student voluenteers. It is also to be noted with satisfaction that so far no major obstacle ever occurred in the project works undertaken by the institution. Rather this kind of social and community service received appreciation and recognition from the local public and the vernacular press published from District head quarters, Salem and nearby Industrial towns Erode and Coimbatore.

Impact of the practice: Socially Useful Productive Work is having profound and everlasting impact on the career of students and even in the minds of the general public who constitute the nucleus of the community. As a first step to assess the impact of the practice it is relevant to take up the case of students who play a vital role in the process of Socially Useful Productive Work. Students undergo the process of imparting education to adults non-literate people and make them realize the importance of education. Students not only learn about the programmes of continuing education and the facilities for school dropouts. This help the students to take more interest to continue this kind of service in their native and surrounding villages. Thus the Best practice helps them to realize the value at imparting Education to one and all. They also learn the art of organizing cultural and recreational programmes for the community while such programmes are organized they come to know that cultural programmes may be used as mass media to educate the rural people about the existing problem in the society such as evils of illiteracy, need to promote education, creating awareness on general health, awareness HIV /AIDS etc and sanitation.

The organization training received by them as an impact of the best practice also guide them to form and organize youth clubs and conducting sports events for the advantage of unorganized rural youth. The Best Practice also help them to learn the evils of casteism, regionalism, evils of corruption, untouchability and infuses a sense of determination to eradicate the above evils along with the evil of effects of drugs. The second important impact of the Best Practice among students is that it reminds them of the dictum youth for rural development and youth for better environment and youth for sustainable development. Students have very good opportunity to come across the problem of pollution and imbalances in environmental factors. They are gaining necessary training to combat the natural problems and thus develop interest to know the devices to fight against pollution and environmental issues. They realize the importance of tree planting and preserving environment free from air and water pollution. They take up the project of tree planting with the assistance offered by Forest Department and NGOs such as Rotary Club, Lions Club and other agencies which take an active part in rendering such social services. They also avail the opportunity to learn construction of roads, village streets, drains, etc so as to keep the environments clean. During their course of field work they are also given training to propagate the values of rainwater harvesting and resort to alternative source of energy for domestic use

such as gobar gas. They also receive due training in environmental sanitation and disposal of garbage composting. The fieldwork also enables the students to learn about the prevention of soil erosion and work for soil conservation which in turn play a vital role in the upkeep of environmental balance. The third important impact on students community necessary training to know about Health Family Welfare and Nutrition programmes. They are given necessary training to use safe and clean drinking water which inturn they emphasize to the village community. They also received training in Health education, Blood donation and primary health care including medico-social surveys, detecting cases of malaria and bringing medical aid to the suffering etc. Another advantage is that the students receive lessons in population education and family welfare including organizing of campaign for small family. Another advantageous impact is that in the evening session of the camp, well known administrators and Doctors who expertise in the relevant field of Health Education deliver lectures to the camp students with suitable illustration displayed with the help of OHP. The lectures delivered by invited key personalities in the field of Health, social service and education help students to know about the awareness pertaining to general public and students community.

Students learn about the programmes of educating women and making them aware of their rights both constitutional and legal,. They are also given training to teach women folk about handicrafts tailoring, sewing, embroidery, knitting and other skills where ever possible. Students are enlightened to know about the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the rural areas through the economic survey that they undertake during the couse of their camp. Such surveys help students to teach them the techniques of availing microloan and other banking operation. Students are encouraged to work in orphanages, homes for aged and destitute women. They are also given training to work in the welfare organizations of women. Other than the students community, it is also the village community that undergoes a thorough and meaningful impact. The village people, thanks to the social and community development works undertaken by the students in the form of Extension activities, leading to development activities and awareness about Health, Education, Blood donation and social issues they will ever remain thankful and express their gratitude in the form of extending assistance to the camping students manually and record their appreciation by taking part in the programmes arranged during evening session of the camp. They are morally and physically trained to develop and remain with patriotism Nationalism and sense of social service to the community.

The objectives of citizenship training camp which act as an instrument for Socially Useful Productive Work is to make the students to understand the problems of the village community and their relation to the community; to identify the needs and problems of the community and solution to the problem. The Socially Useful Productive Work by creating everlasting and profound influence in the minds of the students helps the student not only to materialize the objectives and it helps them to develop their personal and social responsibilities. When the Teacher-students take up the role of Teachers in future or even they switch over to some other professions or enter Central / State govt. service, they will certainly develop a desire for social service. It is to be noted that the training gained by them during their under graduate study is thus further strengthened and help them to come out with a clear cut desire for community development and the national development as a whole.