A bad teacher, no midday meal cost this school dear

Updated on: Monday, November 14, 2011

The Government Primary School of Chikkaguntanur, which was started before Independence, is the pride and joy of the village. It does not seem to lack in basic infrastructure — be it teaching material, classrooms or clean toilets.

Yet, it has no more than four students, including a lone girl.

Decline in students

The school, which boasts of alumni who have excelled in various fields, has seen a quick decline in the number of students. Just five years ago, the school had around 15 students.

But most students in the village have now taken admission in a private English medium school three km away.

Interestingly, however, parents here have not admitted their children to what they call the “convent school” for the love of English, but for two important reasons.

First, the want of a “good teacher” in this lone Kannada medium primary school, and second, the failure of the Government to provide midday meal.

No student

“We have no student at all in class one,” says G.T. Devaraju, a teacher who is substituting for the regular teacher who is away on training.

The students belong to Lambani and Yadav communities, whose parents are farmers. Not many are particularly poor since they are areca farmers. “Till five years ago, the school had a good teacher. Then came a teacher who rarely visited the school. Despite our pleas, officials did not take our grievance seriously. So then most of us decided to admit our children in the private school,” says Rajappa, a parent who himself has studied in the village school.

Secondly, there is no midday meal at the school. Owing to the shortage of students, the Department of Public Instruction has asked students to have their meals at the Government High School of Hireguntanur Gollarahatti village, three km away.

“As students of our school could not travel so far every day for a meal, we have been giving them a month's ration directly,” Mr. Devaraju said.

The teacher categorically opposes the idea of school merger, stating that it is not in the interest of the students, even if the Government provides transport.

Convincing parents

Mr. Devaraju said that it is not easy for teachers to convince parents to send their children to school if these are not located close by.

Many village parents said that they were willing to re-admit their children to the Government school if a good teacher is appointed.

“We not only love Kannada language, but our emotions are attached with this school where most of us have studied. We don't want the government to close it,” says Chidananda Murthy, a village resident.

He wants the government to delay the decision to close the school for at least one year as the recent appointment of a teacher might improve the situation.

A bad teacher, no midday meal cost this school dear

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