Kochi: They serve international lessons in village school

KOCHI: The little ones were so excited. So were the members of the foreign delegation.

It was a refreshing experience for both as they came face to face at St Philomena’s LP School, Koonammavu on the outskirts of Kochi. For four days, 14 students from the UK and one from the US who are on a trip to Kochi as part of their ‘Plan My Gap Year’ have been teaching the students till Class IV the various things they know and that the little ones can grasp.

The international students who have finished either higher secondary schooling or college and have a break of one month or more have come here as part of the trip. From science to maths to English, they imparted lessons in subjects and language to the children.

“On the first day, they took textbooks of the English medium students at the school to their hotel to understand what all are being taught to the children. Then they came back with their own ideas to teach,” said headmaster Johnny Thykoottathil of St Philomena’s LP School.

For Katie John, medicine student with Exeter University who hails from Birmingham, the volunteering trip was rejuvenating.