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Partnerships: The Tamil Nadu School Programme

Sri Jayendra School is in Tamil Nadu, about 50 miles from the southern tip of India.

Despite the huge cultural differences, the atmosphere in the school is remarkably similar to that at Mill Hill. They are very keen on extra-curricular activity such as dance, music, and sport though obviously the facilities are extremely limited. The pupils are charming, happy, keen and delightful and have a friendly and productive relationship with their teachers.

The Headmistress, Usha Raman, is anxious to improve the chances of even the poorest children in area. Although the fees are very low many still cannot afford them. This is why the partnership with Mill Hill is so valuable. 200 economically disadvantaged pupils are sponsored by Old Millhillians and parents and we also support a dozen Tsunami victims and a similar number of very poor Brahmin boys we call the ‘little monks’. Our funding of capital projects has enabled the school to expand to 3,000 pupils aged from three to seventeen.

Every summer a group of Millhillians visits Sri Jayendra to teach conversational English. This exposure has had a remarkable effect on the Indian pupils’ perception of themselves and their aspirations and ambitions. The effect of the visits on the Millhillians is also profound.