Lack of students: 11 schools shut in Dakshin Kannada, Udupi districts

MANGALURU: At a time when the government has given its nod to start English medium classes in Kannada medium schools, as many as 11 schools in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district have closed down.
According to sources, four schools including two aided ones in Dakshina Kannada and seven schools in Udupi have been closed as there were no admissions this year. Among the seven schools in Udupi, three each are in Kundapura and Udupi taluks and one is in Byndoor.
In Dakshina Kannada, schools are closed in Yenkallu village and Kemanaballi in Sullia taluk, the Shirnakal aided school in Bantwal and Doomavathi aided school in Mangaluru north.All teachers from these schools have been transferred.
Interestingly, the school in Kemanaballi of Sullia was closed a few years ago. However, it was opened with the efforts of villagers but it has been closed again. The school, dating back to 1965, had only one admission last year.
However, the Thoranakatte lower primary school in Bantwal, which was closed due to lack of students, has opened this year as many children took admission.
In the last academic year, as many as five schools were closed in Dakshina Kannada and the highest number of such schools were in Bantwal. BEO of Bantwal, N Shivaprakash, said the Thoranakatte school has opened due to the efforts of villagers, students and SDMC members.
The school has been surviving closure for many years as children of migrant labourers take admissions. In the last academic year, there were only six children from class one to five. Though the teachers enrolled an additional three children, they quit after a month and only three remained. With only two in school, authorities decided to shift them to nearby school in Moodambail. Thoranakatte school was shut down and teachers sent to other schools.
“Two government schools and one aided school have been shut this academic year. We are trying to save Shirnakal aided school in Bantwal,” said Y Shivaramaiah, DDPI, Dakshina Kannada.