Regaining the lost glory of a Sanskrit school

Efforts are on to revive Government Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Thripunithura

Illustrious past:A slew of programmes have been planned to revive the Government Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Thripunithura.— Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

There was a time when parents queued up to admit their children in the Government Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Thripunithura. The school used to have two shifts to accommodate more children. It was in the 60s and 70s.

Those who have studied in the school in its golden period are proud about their alma mater. But that feeling suddenly changes into a sense of shame when they think about the pitiable condition of it now.

It was in the 1980s that the school started losing its sheen because of the wrong government policies and, to some extend, proliferation of schools.

The King of erstwhile Cochin State, ‘Rajrishi’ Raja Varma, set up a Sanskrit Patasala in 1914 and it later became an institute that produced scholars in Kavya and Sastra courses.

Efforts are now on to revive the school’s glorious past. Samskriti Mission 2016-2020 is a project to revive the school.

The municipality and the local MLA are in the forefront of the project. “People thought that the school only teaches Sanskrit because of its name,” said K.G. Paulose, former Vice Chancellor, Kerala Kalamandalam. Mr. Paulose has been closely associating with most activities of the Government Sanskrit College, Thripunithura.

Under the leadership of C.V. Jolsna, the Headmistress of the school, a slew of programmes have been planned. The school recently conducted a science exhibition.

“Higher secondary students in the school can teach Sanskrit up to Class 7 without a B.Ed. qualification,” said Ms. Jolsna.

Students and teachers will be given training in digital media and English language. The infrastructure is being improved and more facilities are added under the School Samrakshana Samithy.