The School Education Department  of Tamil Nadu has invited applications from artistes to teach government school students in Classes VI to IX under the Kalaiarangam initiative. While classes on various art forms are being held in schools already, there is a need for more art resource persons, said officials. The artistes will be paid Rs 300 per class and can work in up to five schools, stated a report in The New Indian Express.

The department said that 326 artistes have applied to take classes and their details have been sent to Block Resource Teacher Educators (BRTEs), who will act as coordinators for the programme. They will verify the information of the artistes and can link them with a maximum of five schools in the surrounding area. The artistes can take classes for three days per school per month. A total of Rs 76 lakh (Rs 2 lakh per district) has been allocated for conducting 'Kalaithiruvizha'.

BRTEs have also been asked to contact artistes who were already taking classes in the last academic year on a pilot basis and ask them to continue taking classes if they are interested. The classes will start from this month. There are 8,048 full-time and part-time art teachers working in schools already and artistes have to be allotted to the schools depending on their presence.

The department has divided art forms into five major categories — dance, visual arts, folk arts, theatre and puppetry and music. It has also released lesson plans for various art forms including photography, visual arts, drawing, painting, origami, video shooting and editing and sculpture. The artiste taking classes has to stick to this lesson plan and if he wants to make changes, it should be informed to the headmasters.

School management committees (SMC) have to adopt resolutions regarding art classes and support with materials if required. They should also ensure the safety of students. The students can also be asked to perform the art forms they have learnt at SMC meetings and school functions.