KOCHI: Locals fondly call the Union LP School, Thrikkanarvattom, in city the 'Hindi school’. And it's for a reason: Out of the fifteen children who were enrolled in the school last year, thirteen were children of migrant labourers. This year 12 migrant children will join the first standard.On the rundown wall of the school hangs a poster containing a quote “Heaven is blessed with perfect rest but the blessing of earth is toil.” None would comprehend the meaning of toil better than the children of this school.
A school with a rich legacy of hundred years, it has become a haven for the children of migrant labourers. It is one of the four schools enlisted under the Roshni programme, an initiative by the state government, to provide quality education to children from the migrant families. Children from Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal come to learn here.
“Mostly, children of migrant workers staying in SRM Road, P J Antony Road and Hamsakutty Road study here .When I joined here 13 years back, there were only one or two children from the migrant families. Now most of the children studying here are from other parts of the country. Last year, there were 69 migrant children,” said headmistress Summaya Saidu .
A nursery also functions in the school. The school also offers education to homeless children from other states. "They come to the city during October to February season. They leave after the business season is over. We provide them with primary education and they return during the next season," Summaya added.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has appointed a special volunteer to cater to the migrant students' needs. “This school has shown a remarkable performance over the years. There has been an increase in the number of students enrolled. Children have also shown improvement both academically and physically,” said Sajoy George, District Project Officer, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Ernakulam.
“The school reopens tomorrow. Of the 13 students joining in the first standard, only one is a Malayali. Rest all are children of migrant labourers. Twenty students will join the nursery too,” said Rasiya K A, a teacher.
“We hope to get a new ceiling and the floor works completed. We expect the government and the good Samaritans to help in improving the infrastructure," said the headmistress while decorating the classrooms along with other teachers.