THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The acute paucity of funds has forced members of the parent's teachers association (PTA) of Government LP School in Sasthamangalam to hit the streets seeking donations to pay the insurance amount of the school bus.
The allotment of the 21-seater to the school from the MLA fund of Vattiyoorkavu legislator V K Prasanth had brought immense joy to the parents and the school management, as it marked the end of a long-pending demand. However, when the bus was sanctioned, the school authorities realised that the school development committee (SDC) was short on money to pay Rs 77,600, the bus’ insurance amount.
With all other fund sources nearly drying up, the PTA members decided to seek donations.
“When I and the other office-bearers took to the streets to raise money from the public, we were met with questions and negative reactions. People mainly asked why we were seeking funds when the school was government-run,” PTA president J S Darshana told TNIE.
She said with the state itself facing an acute financial crisis, they had been left with no other option to raise funds. “On Friday, we went around houses near the school, but could collect only Rs 2,300,” said Darshana whose daughter D V Nila is a class II student in the school.
Another PTA office-bearer said they had been relying on a private bus carrier who charged Rs 2,000 per day.
“Normally, there are 21 school days in a month which means Rs 42,000 is required to pay the bus fare. An ayah has been appointed to help children board and disembark from the bus. She is paid Rs 5,000 a month. The maximum bus fare the school receives from children is Rs 16, 000 and the remaining is generated by the SDC. However, from this month, they too are in dire straits as the money donated by some kind hearts is almost finished. It was due to this the PTA sought to raise money from the public,” another PTA member said.
“A majority of the students hail from financially distressed families. Their parents cannot afford to donate money for the bus’ insurance,” said a parent. The school is also facing difficulty in meeting the expenses of the breakfast and noon meal scheme. According to a parent, the Rs 8 per student allotted by the state government is inadequate. The school has 100 students.
An official with the general education department told TNIE the issue is not confined to the Sasthamangalam school alone. Scarcity of funds has already affected the smooth functioning of the breakfast and noon meal schemes in various schools, said the official.