Vijayapura: At a time when most of the parents prefer private schools for their children, here is a government school which has managed to attract children from private schools for its quality education.
It was an initiative by five alumni of the Government Higher Primary School in Hanumasagar village of Vijayapura district to provide better education. Earlier, the school had only 60 students but now due to the efforts of the former students many children studying in private schools have joined the government school. At present, the total strength of the school is 112.
G S Jamkhandi, an alumnus of the school was quoted saying, “After passing out of school, five of us were serving as teachers in various government schools. When we came to know that our government school was gradually losing students to private schools, we decided to do whatever possible to break the trend.”
They got permission from the Block Education Officer to hold special coaching classes in the school. “We deputed three teachers to teach Mathematics, Science and English. Our efforts yielded results as the parents agreed to shift their children who were studying in private schools in three nearby villages,” he said.
Parents of the children who left private schools to join the government school too are happy about the quality education. One of the parents said, “I paid Rs 10,000 as fee in the private school. Now, in the government school, besides quality education, I have been able to save money and there are various facilities such as mid-day meals, bicycles and free uniform.”
District In-charge Minister M B Patil too was impressed by the initiative taken up by the five former students and has assured to depute three full-time teachers and bus service to the students. Patil has also promised e-teaching facility and granting Rs 10 Lakh for renovating the school.
