Free tuition centre in West Mambalam expands space

R Raghunathan has been opening up different sections of his house to offer free education to the underprivileged

In 2017, when R Raghunathan “improved upon” the open terrace at his house in Nagarathinammal Colony, West Mambalam by having a washroom, steel roof and sidewalls on it, he was essentially offering underprivileged children from the neighbourhood the free gift of education. Little did he realise that this initiative would extend to his rooms on the first floor, which now supports the teaching initiative in a full-fledged manner.

Kalpavriksha Free Tuition Centre, as it is known, rolls out the red carpet to children from Corporation and aided schools, inviting them to use the space to study as well as get their doubts cleared by teachers.

Every day from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and again from 5.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. the house turns into a tuition centre. And during examinations and holidays, the space bustles with children the whole day.

“Finding beneficiary-students was not at all difficult as there are more than half-a-dozen schools in the neighbourhood and the word just spread around,” says 70-year-old Raghunathan who retired from the finance department of a petroleum company.

Love for teaching and a desire to do something for society got Raghunathan to throw open a portion of his house for the cause of education.

Initially, he hired five teachers and brought many volunteers on board who would spare their leisure time for teaching students spread across Classes I to IX. Currently, the centre has five tutors whose salaries are paid with the help of donations. Raghunathan says offering lessons in the Montessori method was a turning point as it was different from what they had learnt at school and it drew many students. “My home on the first floor has also been opened up to enable this method of teaching,” says Raghunathan who lives with his wife and an adult son, and is a member of Nallorvattam.

Montessori volunteers