There are several ways to kill a school. And the best is to scare away parents of potential students.
For the Government UP School at East Nadakkavu, the loss of students is just another problem. Between the loss of a chunk of its land for the widening of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu Road and the District Sports Council planning to construct a park and science museum on the rest of the available land, lack of space is what spells doom for this school that has a history of 104 years.
The school was a meeting point of freedom fighters in the region during the Independence movement. In the 1970s, it was a major school in the region with over 1,600 students. But even at that time, space congestion was a major issue.
In 1975, the government acquired one acre nearby for developing the institution into a high school, though project never took off. In the 80s and 90s, due to the influx of English medium schools, it lost its significance and was featured in the government’s closure list many a time.
But it was not closed, thanks to interference by the public. As part of its centenary celebrations in 2014, the PTA and alumni had made a dedicated effort to improve the school, and, as a result, the strength improved from 20s to 90s.
However, of late, parents of potential students refrain from admitting their children to the school owing to the dilapidated condition of the building. “The structure is 104 years old, and parts of it had crumbled many a time, though without any casualties,” said K.P. Vijayakumar, chairman of the school protection committee that is now fighting to keep the school alive despite all odds. “Minor repairs were undertaken a few months ago by the corporation, though the school has not been painted in the last seven years,” he added.
With the widening of the Mananchira-Vellimadukunnu Road, the school will lose two classrooms and an office room, which will lead to further congestion. Though the school owns an acre, a major portion of it is occupied by a swimming pool constructed by the District Sports Council to train students in swimming following a major drowning incident in the district. But it is now being used by adults, Mr. Vijayakumar alleged. The school protection committee has now appealed to the State government to include the institution in the government’s special package as a first step to save it.
