Leadership camp sharpens teamwork, problem-solving skills among government school students in Nagapattinam

Over 850 student leaders from government middle schools across the six blocks of Nagapattinam district participated in a special leadership camp held under the State School Education Department’s Magizh Mutram scheme.

The one-day camps, aimed at strengthening teamwork, problem-solving and peer leadership, was organised block-wise by the District Educational Excellence Programme (DEEP) in collaboration with the School Education Department. They were held between January 27 and 30 and from February 3 to 5. A total of 85 government middle schools were selected, with 10 student leaders — designated as house captains — from each school taking part. Parallel orientation sessions were conducted for 85 teachers.

Students speaking to The Hindu said the camp helped them rethink ideas of leadership and teamwork. “I learnt that team work does not mean working only with people we like,” said M. Mahadevan, a Class 8 student of Panchayat Union Government Middle School, Keechankuppam. “It also means learning to work with people we may not like, or whom others may dislike, and helping everyone get along. I also got to meet students from other schools and make new friends.”

The sessions focused on leadership, growth mindset, initiative-taking and collaborative problem-solving through interactive activities, including games and role-play.

Explaining the approach, K. Kavinaya, a Class 7 student from Panchayat Union Government Middle School, Keralanthan, in Kilvelur block, said: “When a problem arose, we were taught to ask why — and then ask why again — until we understand the real reason behind it. Only if we find the root cause can a problem be solved. Otherwise, it will keep coming back.”

Students were introduced to methods of giving constructive feedback. “We learnt how to give positive feedback using the sandwich method, so that criticism does not hurt someone’s spirit but instead helps them understand their limitations and improve,” she added.

Teachers said the impact of the camp was already visible in schools. “We are receiving positive feedback from students, and we can see a clear improvement in group spirit and participation,” said R. Balu, headmaster of the Panchayat Union Government Middle School, Keechankuppam.

Officials said the camps combined classroom learning in the morning with practical application in the afternoon, where students identified issues in their own schools and discussed implementable solutions with teacher support.