The schooling system in Tamil Nadu has seen several significant changes over the years, and among the many officials and academicians who have left a lasting impact was H.S.S. Lawrence, whose centenary birth anniversary is on July 28.
Appointed Director of School Education in 1976, Lawrence was then already serving as a special officer for restructuring of education pattern. It was nearly a decade ago that the Kothari Commission had recommended the restructuring of the education pattern to a 10+2+3 system. Helming the implementation of the +2 system in Tamil Nadu, Lawrence made a significant difference to school education in the State, and how the enhanced higher secondary education system came to be.
Speaking about the impact of the implementation of the +2 system, Prince Gajendra Babu, General Secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) said that this was one of the reasons which contributed to the steadily increasing Gross Enrollment Ratio(GER) in Tamil Nadu over the years. “This was a major shift from the earlier pre-university system of education; where schools taught up to Class 10, and +2 as well as the subsequent three years which followed were taught in pre-university. Coincidentally, his initials HSS can be spelt out as ‘Higher Secondary School’,” said his daughter Usha Rajendran.
Lawrence is also remembered for his work with vocational education in Tamil Nadu, having served as the chairman of the Vocational Education committee. “He is known as the ‘Father of Vocational Education’ in Tamil Nadu as in 1978, he introduced the vocational stream in schools, when the +2 system was implemented,” said S.N. Janardhanan, President, Tamil Nadu Vocational Teachers Kazhagam.
Mr. Janardhanan also said that in 1993, Dr Lawrence had been appointed as the head of a committee constituted by the Tamil Nadu government, which examined and provided recommendations on improving vocational education in the State, looked at the adequate training and orientation of teachers, revision of syllabus, and establishing a linkage with business and industry establishments. “It was after this committee’s report, that a textbook was printed for the vocational courses for the first time in 1996,” he added.
Ms. Usha says that many people remember him as someone who was always encouraging, and would go out of his way to ensure students had access to quality education. “As the Director of School Education, I remember how he would extensively tour schools in rural Tamil Nadu. He would walk into these schools, sit there and interact with the students to hear their concerns or feedback, if any,” she recalled. Addressing various facets of the school education system, Lawrence was keen on working with teachers and offering them support through training, and offered incentives to student toppers by awarding them with medals.
His achievements as an academician, as well as other aspects of his life were detailed in his autobiography, ‘The Hand of God My Life and Times’, published in 2004.
