More than 10,000 students from government schools across the city took part in the grand finale of Swachhta Pakhwada, a cleanliness and reading campaign, organised jointly by The Hindu In School and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) on Wednesday.

The event, held at the Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar, was the culmination of a fortnight-long campaign held at 50 government schools in the city.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Kabeer stressed co-curricular learning through activities such as essay writing and drawing competitions that encourage students to explore libraries and enhance their knowledge.

Vasuki, Principal, Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Ashok Nagar, underscored the importance of maintaining personal cleanliness and discipline, and segregating waste. She also urged students to conserve water and electricity.

Ajith, a representative of the BPCL, engaged with the students in an interactive question-and-answer session, encouraging them to become ambassadors of cleanliness. He asked students to identify the cleanest country in the world, and the cleanest city in India.

Talking about the role of The Hindu In School, Prabhu Dass, Personal Assistant to the CEO, explained how a dedicated team of professionals works behind the scenes to create educational content, print newspapers, and deliver them to schools. The event reinforced the importance of cleanliness, reading, discipline, environmental responsibility, and active participation among students. Prizes were given to winners of essay writing and drawing competitions.