MADURAI: With an aim to equipping the children with self-defence skills, an NGO is set to train 5 lakh students from government schools in the state on 'Kai Silambam' (a form of martial art).
The training sessions for students from classes VI to XII will be jointly organised by NGO Elite Circle, Tamil Nadu Silambattam Association and Association of Fine Arts, Martial Arts and Silambam and Yoga trainers. Sources said that the programme got the approval from Samagra Shiksha's Integrated Scheme for School Education and that the main objective of the training is to make the students fit physically and mentally.
Speaking to Express, Additional District Project Co-ordinator (ADPC) of Samagra Shiksha N Thirugnanam said that as per the guidelines of Election Commissioner for Co-operative Societies and the President of Tamil Nadu Silambattam Association M Rajendran IAS, all physical education teachers (PETs) would be trained on 'kai Silambam' this month itself. "The students will then be trained by these PETs and there will be written and practical exam after the completion of the training," he said.
Elite Circle Project Co-ordinator K Pradeepkumar said that they are planning to train the students for 100 days. "At first, UNICEF's cartoon on good touch and bad touch will be screened. 'Kai silambam' comprises 21 'pidi varisaigal' (techniques) and the students will be taught these techniques in 100 days. The students will also get a book titled 'Tharkappu Kalaiyaie Kattrukolungal', authored by M Rajendran, free of cost. Finally, the students will have to write an objective exam for 50 marks in 30 minutes. There will also be a practical exam for 50 marks. After the evaluation, students will be handed over certificates," he added.
He also said that the training has the recognition of four organisations - Elite World Record Organisation (United States), Asian Record Academy(United Arab Emirates), India Records Academy (Mumbai) and Tamil Nadu Book of Records (Chennai).
Election Commissioner for Co-operative Societies and the President of Tamil Nadu Silambattam Association M Rajendran, the key initiator of the project, said that learning self-defence would increase one's concentration power, confident level, courage and the like. "It will also help them to focus on their studies," he said.
Earlier, some students from Coimbatore, Salem and Namakkal were given training on martial art.