For more than a decade, Tamil teacher N. Balamurugan has helped transform Pethanayakanur Government High School in Coimbatore from a school with just 70 students into one with more than 210, using environmental education, reading, folk arts and community participation.
When N. Balamurugan joined Pethanayakanur Government High School in Coimbatore district in 2013, the school had around 70 students and comparatively poor infrastructure. Over the years, he became a driving force behind efforts to make the school more engaging, with students planting hundreds of trees, making seed balls, reading thousands of books, writing for publications and learning traditional Tamil folk arts.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, classrooms were painted to resemble colourful train coaches to make students excited about returning to school. Today, the school has more than 210 students and a library with over 6,000 books.
From 70 Students
Pethanayakanur Government High School faced a difficult situation when Balamurugan joined as a Tamil teacher in 2013. In 2012, the school had around 70 students, while larger government and private schools nearby attracted hundreds more.
The school’s infrastructure and facilities were relatively poor, influencing how parents viewed it. Balamurugan began working to change the environment around students. Between 2013 and 2015, the school planted 110 saplings in a single week. What started with the school grounds gradually developed into a wider environmental learning programme.
From 2015 to 2017, students began collecting native seeds, making seed balls and participating in programmes related to biodiversity and conservation. Over the years, they made around 45,000 seed balls for reforestation drives and planted more than 960 saplings across the school and neighbourhood.
The school also encourages students to maintain a green, clean and plastic-free environment, making environmental education part of everyday school life.
A Library Of 6,000
Balamurugan’s efforts eventually extended from the school grounds to the students’ reading habits. Between 2017 and 2019, the school expanded its reading programmes and student reading circles. Today, its library has more than 6,000 books.
Balamurugan reached out to reading groups, writers, readers and non-profit organisations for donations. He also personally spent around ₹24,000 on books, while government departments contributed to the collection.
The initiative encouraged students to become writers as well. Their poems, essays and short stories were published in book form with Balamurugan’s support.
For Class 9 student Tamil Arasi, seeing students’ own work alongside books by established writers changed how she viewed writing. Her environmental article was also published in Thenchittu, a Tamil Nadu government student magazine. She said more than eight lakh students had read the article.
Learning Beyond Books
The school also developed a strong focus on traditional Tamil culture and activities beyond conventional academics.Students receive training in folk forms including Parai Isai, Mayilattam, Oyilattam, Karakattam, Kavadiyattam and Kummi. According to the school, students spend around two hours after regular classes learning traditional folk arts, alongside activities such as tree planting and sports.
The school’s approach has also produced academic achievements. According to information shared by the school, it has maintained a 100% Class 10 pass rate since 2015. Students have participated in sports, art, craft, environmental activities and cultural programmes.
Balamurugan’s work has extended beyond his classroom too. In 2021, he was reported to have received a Dr Radhakrishnan Award and used ₹10,000 from the award money towards improvements at the government school.
Classrooms Become Trains
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the teachers faced another challenge: encouraging children to return to school with enthusiasm after months of online classes.
Balamurugan came up with an unusual idea. The school’s classrooms were painted to resemble colourful train coaches, creating a brighter and more welcoming environment for students. The makeover cost around ₹50,000. Balamurugan contributed ₹35,000, while parents contributed the remaining ₹15,000.
For students returning after the pandemic, the change made a lasting impression. Class 10 student Manimekalai recalled being surprised when she returned to find the classrooms painted like train coaches and said the teachers welcomed students with music and celebrations. The school has since continued to combine academics with environmental learning, reading, traditional arts and sports.
Parents Chose It Again
The results of these efforts are visible in the school’s enrolment.
From around 70 students in 2012, Pethanayakanur Government High School now has more than 210 students, according to former headmistress Uma Maheswari. She said parents increasingly chose the school after seeing improvements in its environment, facilities, discipline, academic performance and opportunities for children.
The transformation was not the work of Balamurugan alone. The Better India report notes that while he was a primary driving force during the initial years, other teachers later joined the effort, with parents, donors and government departments also contributing to the school’s development.
Today, Balamurugan, who is described as the school’s headmaster, continues to view the different initiatives as parts of the same mission.
“Whether it is reading, writing, folk arts, or environmental education, everything we do is to help students become good thinkers and good human beings,” he said.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
N. Balamurugan’s story shows that improving a government school does not always begin with large infrastructure projects. Sometimes, it starts with changing how children experience their school.
Trees planted by students now provide shade. A library that grew through donations has more than 6,000 books. Children write and see their work published, learn traditional Tamil arts and participate in environmental activities. Even the classroom walls were redesigned to make returning to school something to look forward to.
From around 70 students in 2012 to more than 210 today, Pethanayakanur Government High School’s journey reflects what sustained efforts by teachers, students, parents and the wider community can achieve.
Balamurugan’s work also raises a broader question: how can more government schools receive the resources, community support and institutional encouragement needed to create similarly engaging learning environments?
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