The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) recently conducted an orientation programme on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, ahead of a residential programme, for 56 top-performing students and their parents, to discuss STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) courses in their higher education. Students across 33 higher secondary schools have been shortlisted based on their marks, and selected to be a part of a fully residential, one-year programme, which is set to begin in the last week of July. Around 40 of the selected students are girls, said an official. The programme will help parents and students recognize the avenues that are possible as careers and show them the support we can provide them with. This experience will also help students prepare to live away from home in college. The Corporation’s aim is to help students perform well in public examinations while training them for competitive exams. A hostel has been set up at the Choolaimedu Higher Secondary School for boys and a hostel at the Nungambakkam Higher Secondary School for girls has been refurbished and will be ready for occupation on August 1, for the residential programme. Students will be able to access the vast school libraries and will be given a set of guides and study materials that go beyond the regular textbooks to help develop their problem-solving skills. Regular medical check-ups and extracurricular activities, including sports, are part of the programme. Alumnus of the Model School programme, who are currently pursuing courses at the National Institutes of Fashion Technology (NIFTs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) or are pursuing medicine, gave testimonials on the success and support of the programme at the orientation. Parents were allowed to ask questions, and many raised the issue of the safety of their girl children, if their children could take leave and visit their homes, while many were concerned that they would not be able to support their child’s higher education financially. In the Chennai Mayor’s budget speech for the financial year 2023-24, it was announced that financial assistance would be made available to students clearing exams and enrolling in national institutes. Separate guidelines on criteria will be issued on this. This was re-emphasized to parents. The programme will end in July 2024 when the last competitive exam is over.