BENGALURU: A 120-year-old government higher primary school in Shivajinagar, which has been facing major infrastructure problems, is finally getting a major revamp.
The dilapidated building has, over the years, seen a steady fall in the number of students, and the school authorities now hope that the improved facilities will bring back its lost pride.
“The school began during the British rule in 1897, and thousands have received education here since then. With such heritage, it does not deserve to be abandoned,” said Mohammad Kaif who, along with Sheik Zakir Hussain, the founder trustees of the NGO, Smaller Picks foundation, adopted the school five months ago.
The organisation has now installed water tanks, distributed school bags to children, and renovated the playground. Kaif also urges the residents of Shivajinagar to come together to save the school. “I request the parents to get their little ones admitted to the school so they can carry on the name of the school,” he said.
The school’s condition was brought to the notice of the administration after Rajya Sabha MP G C Chandrashekar tweeted to Bengaluru Urban District collector to sanction the renovation. Zohara Jabeen, the headmistress of the school, said, “I am happy that the government has sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the school, which we will use for the renovation of the old building.”
Sumaiya Begum, a teacher at the school, said, “With the help of the foundation and the government, we are putting in efforts to increase the class strength by making the school look more attractive.”
When the school first began, it had a student population of 600, but the number has now come down to 30. “Because of the sorry state of our classrooms, parents are not willing to admit their children to the school,” Jabeen said, adding that the school currently has seven classrooms, and teachers are looking to convert these into smart classrooms.
Suma Komala, a teacher, stressed that the condition of the school is so bad that mud falls from the roof.
“Our plight during monsoon cannot be imagined. The lack of infrastructural updates posed such a hindrance that even though the children are provided with good food, they refuse to come,” she said.