What makes a school beautiful? The tiny tots for sure. The sight of a group of primary class students in uniforms running around the corridors and playground is temptation enough for anybody to keep watching a school and its premises. The joy is doubled if the school is beautiful as well.
Unfortunately in our State, not much importance is given to the beauty of school campuses, especially government schools. However, the authorities realised just that and as a result, great efforts are being made to beautify schools in the Kozhikode district.
Colourful walls
Government Upper Primary School, Bilathikkulam, is one such institution that has benefitted from the generosity of the City Corporation and the local MLA. What welcomes one at this school are a series of paintings on the outer walls based on the Panchathanthram tales. The monkey who fooled the crocodile, the crow that dropped pebbles into the pot to raise the water level and the tortoise that won the race with the hare, adorn the walls of the school conveying the moral of these tales to the children.
The paintings were done by Mr.Sathish, an art teacher at the Zamorin's High School. A small pond beside the school gate guarded by two cranes adds to the beauty of the walls.
Maintaining the inner walls of the school clean was a headache to the school authorities. The children, in their course of play often dirty the walls; but not any more. How can they dirty the walls which they have taken the effort to paint? That's right.
The inner walls of some of the classes and the Neelambari Auditorium in the school are adorned by beautiful paintings of the students. Nonetheless, they are clean even after a year.
And it is not flowering plants that adorn the school courtyard but vegetables. There are a number of vegetable gardens set up around the school, which are maintained by the students.
However they are guided by the workshop in-charge Dileep Kumar, who also trains them in making soaps and chalk. The produce from the vegetable garden are used to prepare curry for the children's mid day meal. There is also a small medicinal plant garden in the school.
Ideal campus
Hygiene is an important part of beauty and that is why this school is even more beautiful. With clean toilets and sanitation facilities coupled with clean surroundings, the school provides a healthy environment for the little children who spend most of their time there. The school has all facilities like science lab, maths lab and children's park making it ideal for the healthy upbringing of children.
