BENGALURU: Eleven-year-old Nanditha will have something very interesting to tell her grandchildren — that she was the only student in her entire school, with just one teacher and a cook to cater to her academic and nutritional needs. It may seem like a luxurious offering made to her by the state department of public instruction. But the reality is different.
This state government primary school located at Obenahalli in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district was closed down at the start of the academic year 2016-17 due to lack of students — a disturbing trend noticed due to increasing number of private schools across the state. The school remained closed for a year. But then, due to pressure from the locals, especially Nanditha’s parents, the department was forced to reopen the school at the start of academic year 2017-18 with just one teacher and a cook to prepare the mid-day meals.
The sole teacher at the school, Komala G K, who teaches Nanditha, told TNIE, “As there were no admissions (in 2016-17), the government ordered the school’s closure and I took deputation to some other school…I was surprised when Nanditha’s parents came looking for me all the way to the school where I had taken deputation. I could sense anger, fear and sadness at the same time in them. They asked me what their little daughter should do with the school closed.”
Nanditha’s parents are daily wage workers who found it difficult to send her to a school far away or to a private school because of the added expenses involved. They also worried about her safety. Nanditha’s parents subsequently were joined by several other villagers, and all of them then approached the Zilla Panchayat and other officials of the education department. “Finally, the school was re-opened for the academic year 2017-18, and I am posted back here as a teacher,” said Komala.
Interestingly, there were four students including Nanditha during 2017-18 academic year in the school, but this year only Nanditha has remained as the school teaches only up till class 5 and the others completed class 5 and went to other schools to continue.
But here, no efforts are spared in providing quality teaching to Nanditha, though she is the lone student. Even if Komala has to take leave, the department makes arrangements for a teacher from another government school to step in. But doesn’t little Nanditha get bored with none to make friends with in her class?
She chips in without batting an eyelid: “My teacher is my best friend!” This school was established in 1978 and there was good student strength till 2010. After that, the enrolment declined due to increase in number of private schools. The teachers working with the schools in the district blame introduction of RTE Act under which many students have joined private schools. This particular school happens to be located in the constituency of Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.