Perambalur: The Panchayat Union Middle School (PUMS) in Kothavasal village of Perambalur district, which used its organic vegetable garden to attract new admissions from nearby hamlets, has also bagged the Innovative School Award from the state government.Among the 57 schools selected for the award, Kothavasal PUMS was the only middle school representing Perambalur district and it attributed the recognition to organic farming practised by teachers and students on the one-acre land on campus.“Our collective effort to experiment growing vegetables in vacant space of the campus helped us maintain and improve the enrollment every academic year. The vegetable garden that produces 60 kg vegetables every week also attracted NGOs to financially support in developing school infrastructure,” said S Elavalagan, a teacher who initiated vegetable farming at Kothavasal PUMS.Besides using a major portion of the yield for preparing noon meal in PUMS kitchen, the teachers distribute the harvested vegetables among children who cultivated and maintained the vegetable crops. The school with 140 students studying up to class VII has eight smart classrooms and a language laboratory with the standards on par with self-financing schools.Initially, eight teachers of Kothavasal PUMS contributed a portion of their earnings to develop school’s infrastructure. Besides innovative award for Kothavasal PUMS, the Biotech assistant, Elavalagan was also named among 140 school teachers selected for dream teacher award across the state.

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