GADAG : A government school in a Gadag village is a quiet affair. It has only one teacher, who picks up all the school students from their homes on his bike and even drops them off later. How can he fit all the students on his bike? Well, he has only three students. If the teacher takes off, the school is shut for the day. The three students study in Classes 1, 2 and 5. The government primary school in Bandemma Nagar near Naragund town once had a good numbers of students but after locals started to migrate, the school was left with only three children.
The teacher, H S Sunkad, hails from Naragund and he was appointed on deputation to this school four months ago.A few years ago, Bandemma Nagar had several families living here and many children went to the school. However, most of the residents got houses under a Central government scheme and left the village.
The three children continue to come to school, thanks to their dedicated teacher. “When I first came here, I was surprised to see only three students. But it is my duty as a teacher to teach, irrespective of the number of students. I teach all the children in the same class. Of the three students, one was planning to quit school and had joined his father in cattle grazing. But I convinced the family as well as the boy to pursue his studies. After this I started picking and dropping the three children,” Sunkad said.
The Education Department, however, plans to get more children to this school. Gadag Deputy Director Of Public Instruction (in charge) G L Baratakke said the department is aware about the issue. “I have informed Naragund BEO to take up a survey on how to increase the number of students. I am waiting for the report, and based on it I will take steps to improve the numbers. We will request the transport corporation to run regular buses to the area where the school is,” he said.
Gadag district Kannada Jagruti Vedike president Prabhurajgouda Patil appreciated the efforts of the teacher who has been teaching just three kids. “We will visit this government school and check the possibility of increasing the number of students by creating awareness in nearby areas,” he said.
Villagers say that they feel for the teacher as he is unable to take any leave.