No more maths phobia for them

'Lekkalu Maaku Oo Lekka? Memu Leelavathi Chellalam'( Being sisters of Leelavathi (Mathematician), Mathematics is no more problem to us), a unique initiative by Nalgonda District Collector N Mukteswara Rao has created a huge impact on the students for Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV). The 7-day programme was held in Hyderabad. It was aimed at helping children get rid of Mathematics phobia Young Hans Team Give them your date of birth; they will amaze you by telling on which day you were born. Tell them a page number from a dictionary, they will tell you first and last word of the page. Give them any complex problem in mathematics; they will come up with an answer before you blink your eye. When one needs a calculator to know the squares and cubes of any number, these kids can solve them in of jiffy. Wondering who these whiz kids are? These kids are schoo dropouts who have been into KGBV. In one week, since being enrolled in the programme, these children who had phobia for numbers were transformed into mathematical wonders. This has been made possible by their inspiration Leelavathi, who has a special passion for mathematics and also removing fear among the children. Mathematics learning was done in a fun way which in the students learning their numbers faster The programme being sisters of Leelavathi, Mathematics is no more problem to us was an initiative taken up by Nalgonda District Collector, N Mukteswara Rao. According to him "Mathematics phobia is not because of the subject, it is because of the surrounding, lacking proper teaching methods. When mathematic is taught using proper methodology one won't have phobia ," says N Mukteswara Rao, Nalgonda District Collector. The students were trained by Development and Scientific vision academic centre, Hyderabad. "KGBV student are no less compared to the other girls studying in the corporate schools. They just lack proper guidance, when given they will definitely compete with other corporate students," Hanuman Kumar, Project director, Development and Scientific vision academic centre, Hyderabad. Government of India introduced Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme in 2004 which was later integrated in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme. The programme provides education for the girls' belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes and families below poverty lines. "I had to discontinue my studies and work in the fields as we were in need of money for the treatment of my father. Though I told my mom that I can't work and I want to study, she pestered me to work; because of which I was one year away from the school. I got to know that KGBV schools offers free education for the girls, I joined the school, says K Triveni, a student of KGBV, Munagal. This little girl can solve any sudoko. "My father left us seven years ago. My mother is daily wage worker. It was hard for us to study in the private schools. So I enrolled myself in KGBV School, Nalgonda. Everything at KGBV is at the free of cost. I want to make us of this opportunity and become a software engineer," says Sri Devi. Just give her your date of birth she can amaze you by telling on which day you were born in. The programme not just focused on the mathematics, but it also imparted basic spoken English to the students. "With just one week training, I learnt many things in English also. I think now I am capable of speaking English," B Swathi, Class X student of Government High School, Suryapet.