Kundapur: School set up with villagers' efforts on verge of closure

Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jul 7: A school in the taluk, for the opening and improvement of which the local people had contributed in the form of various items including monetary contributions, is on the verge of closure. The government is planning to permanently lock the school premises due to paucity of students. The government lower primary school located at Karki within Karkunje gram panchayat in the taluk is preparing to face the axe.

It is learnt that the department of public instruction has made all technical preparations to announce the closure of this school at the earliest. While both the teachers of the school are not perturbed by the development, the villagers are disturbed by the thought that a school into which they had put in sweat and heart is slinking towards oblivion.

The school became functional on August 31, 1996, backed by prolonged efforts of the villagers. In that year, first standard was opened in a room with cement sheet roofing. In 1998, government school was sanctioned, and lower primary school started functioning. Since the beginning, a local named Shekhar Shetty continues to officiate as the headmaster of the school, although several other teachers have been transferred in and out of the school during this period.

There are about 150 school-going children within the jurisdiction of Karki school, but these children have not opted to study at Karki government lower primary school. On account of this situation, the department has decided to temporarily close the school. In all likelihood, the school will be formally closed in about a month from now.

Parents of many children here feel that teachers are to blame for shortage of students in this school. It is said that both the teachers of the school do not attend the school regularly and punctually. They arrive at the school by 9.30 am and leave at 10.30 am, some parents said, duly expressing their dilemma about entrusting responsibility of their children in the hands of such teaches.

There are many who want to send children to this school, but dither because of quality of education and indiscipline. “About two years ago, there were lady teachers, who were good at educating the students. The attendance then was over 60. We do not find any reason to now send our children to a school, teachers of which are not interested in teaching. One of the teachers is found to be always under the influence of alcohol, while the other operates Land Links Agency and leaves school as and when he gets a phone call. There is no one in the school to take care of the children,” they rue.

The school had a student strength of 12 last year, and only four students got admitted this time. Now the teachers have asked these children to get admitted into other schools, and to facilitate this, they have been issuing transfer certificates. With each passing day, the student strength therefore, is dwindling.

The school was found locked when media personnel visited the school thrice. When the teachers were questioned about this phenomenon, it transpired that the headmaster, who had drawn the government grant for the construction of a ramp at the school, has not executed the work so far. A sum of Rs 15,000 had been sanctioned last year for the construction of ramp for the convenience of handicapped children. The headmaster withdrew this amount on March 15, but failed to get the work done or purchase materials required for the same. Some say that a detailed investigation needs to be conducted to bring out such other irregularities in the school. Many question the rationale behind the department’s decision to build a ramp at a school which is proposed to be closed down.

The school has a good kitchen meant for Akshara Dasoha scheme, equipped with all the items required to feed the children. But as the school does have students, rice and other items are being consumed by worms and insects.