Gousia Higher Primary School

If you know Chennai, you know how busy Sowcarpet can be. Our school is located on Managappan Street, near Elephant Gate, and it’s right in the middle of all the noise and business. We have both an old and a new number for the building, 17 and 26, which sometimes confuses the postman. The street is narrow and always full of people moving goods or going to the markets. Inside the school, it’s a bit of a refuge from the chaos outside, but you can still hear the horns honking and people shouting. We are a higher primary school, so we have kids who are just starting to grow out of their childhood. The classrooms are small because space is hard to find in this part of the city. We have to be very organized to make sure everyone fits and has a place to sit. The walls are thick, which helps keep the heat out a little bit, but we still rely on the old ceiling fans to keep the air moving. Our teachers are used to the fast pace of Sowcarpet life and they bring that energy into the classroom. We don't have a big open field for sports, so the kids mostly play smaller games in the courtyard. It’s a school that feels like part of the neighborhood, deeply tucked into the streets of Chennai. We just keep the doors open and do our best for the local children.