HYDERABAD: When we think of government schools, images of worn-out buildings, broken furniture and untidy classrooms often come to mind. But the Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) at Gorita in Thimmajipet mandal, Nagarkurnool district, tells a different story. Here, education extends beyond textbooks and comes alive through colour and creativity. The school’s walls are vibrant learning spaces painted with mathematical formulas, maps and other educational content, a transformation led by biology teacher Racharla Narender, who has championed visual learning for 27 years.
Since his first day of service in 1998, Narender has been converting plain walls into teaching tools by illustrating scientific diagrams, biological processes and other concepts that help students grasp and remember lessons easily. Today, the school looks like a living encyclopaedia, with every corridor and classroom offering something to learn. His work shows how creativity, when paired with commitment, can change the learning experience for students and inspire fellow teachers.
Speaking to TNIE, Narender says, “To create a wholesome learning environment, we have painted classroom walls and corridors with educational content. For primary classes, we include alphabets, animals, fruits and vegetables. For higher classes, we add basic maths formulas, chemistry content and English grammar, including verbs, tenses and prepositions.”
What makes his contribution even more noteworthy is that he paints only during holidays, without affecting school hours, and funds all the work himself. His initiative, seen as highly innovative at the time, drew appreciation from academic circles, including recognition from Delhi authorities. Over the years, he has received several mandal and district-level awards and has been felicitated by various organisations for his work.
