The drab corridors of Government Girls Senior Secondary School sprang to life this week as paint pots, tambourines and easels replaced routine textbooks for the Education Department’s latest Summer Hobby Classes initiative. Launched on 13 May under the oversight of Director of Education Vikram Singh, the programme will run daily from 0900 hrs to noon until 17 June, giving 300 registered children a structured outlet for creative energy during the break.
Head of office Gyan Sheel Dubey, addressing an auditorium packed with eager students and parents, framed the venture as a deliberate pivot from cram-schools to holistic learning. Principal Archana Singh echoed the sentiment, urging participants to explore talents without fear of grades. By mid-morning, the campus buzzed with parallel workshops: voice coaches rehearsed folk ballads, dance tutors introduced rhythm drills, while art mentors guided beginners through colour theory.
All resources, from percussion instruments to water-colours, have been supplied free, funded through department welfare grants. Organisers paired each class with experienced teachers and local artists so that instruction remains professional despite the informal setting.
Parents, many of whom work in tourism and service sectors, welcomed the scheme as a safe, enriching alternative to unsupervised leisure. The department plans an open-house showcase on closing day, allowing children to perform or exhibit their creations. Administrators hope the success will cement the hobby-class model as a permanent fixture in the academic calendar, broadening education beyond syllabus confines and keeping island culture vibrant among the next generation.
