North & Middle Andaman District Police have recast every station in the district into a summer learning hub, rolling out free “Vacation Classes” that began this week for school-going children on holiday. The unprecedented outreach, announced as a community-oriented initiative, positions police personnel as mentors as much as law enforcers, delivering lessons that range from basic computing and drawing to yoga, dance, career counselling and self-defence.
The programme adopts an open-door model: any student can walk into the nearest police station, register without fee and spend part of the break in a supervised, skill-building environment. Officers say classrooms have been set up in station halls, verandas and recreation rooms, with timetables calibrated to local school calendars so parents do not have to juggle work schedules to accommodate transport.
Organisers describe the camp as a multi-pronged response to two perennial holiday challenges, idle time that often nudges adolescents toward risky behaviour, and the perception gap between police and youth that can breed mistrust. By immersing children in a mix of creative arts and practical drills under the guidance of uniformed personnel, planners hope to anchor discipline and self-confidence while demystifying the khaki presence in their neighbourhoods.
Each daily session begins with a short yoga routine to instill focus, followed by computer basics and internet safety tutorials on donated desktops. Mid-morning art and dance slots encourage creative expression, while afternoon periods are reserved for self-defence techniques adapted for young bodies, covering stance, balance and situational awareness rather than aggressive combat. Career guidance segments invite senior officers and guest professionals to outline academic pathways in defence, civil services, medicine, engineering and emerging digital trades, giving students early exposure to possibilities beyond the islands.
Police administrators emphasise that the curriculum was assembled after consultations with teachers, parent associations and child-welfare committees to ensure age appropriateness and inclusivity. Station commanders have been instructed to rotate instructors so that equal attention is paid to academic, physical and psychological components. Resource material, from drawing sheets to practice mats, has been sourced through district welfare funds and local sponsors, keeping the camp cost-free for families.
At Rangat, more than fifty children filed in on the first morning, filling benches usually occupied by petitioners. In Mayabunder, the station’s rear courtyard now functions as a temporary dance studio, its walls alive with murals painted by students during art hour. Parents dropping off youngsters have reported a marked shift in perception, noting that a premise once associated solely with complaints now resonates with music, laughter and keyboard clicks.
The initiative also dovetails with the district’s wider appeal for public participation in crime intelligence. Notices pinned at station entrances remind citizens to share credible information on illicit activity via the 100 and 112 emergency numbers or the landline 03192-273344. Informers are assured confidentiality and eligible for rewards, reinforcing the message that crime prevention is a collective responsibility rather than an isolated police function.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to enrol children for the remainder of the holiday period, which runs until regular classes resume in mid-June. Registration requires only a basic form outlining contact details and any relevant medical conditions. Timetables are flexible enough for students who wish to attend select modules instead of the full day. Officials stress that no child will be turned away for lack of prior experience or equipment; stations supply all necessary material.
As the programme gathers momentum, administrators hint at extending select modules into a year-round schedule, coding clubs on weekends, periodic self-defence refreshers and quarterly career seminars, ensuring the bridge built this summer outlasts the vacation mood. For now, the clang of the station gate ushers not anxiety but anticipation, marking a small yet significant shift in how policing and public learning can coexist under the same roof.
