For the Karnad Sadashiva Rao Memorial Government Secondary School in Chitrapu near Mulky, the prospect of closure loomed large due to the dwindling number of students.
Therefore the school management and the School Development and Monitoring Committee had a meeting which led to the school starting English medium from Class 8 onwards.
As many as 13 students — 12 from private schools and one from their primary school — have been admitted in the first year.
Jayasheela Shetty, in-charge headmaster of the school, said that they have got the services of an experienced English teacher.
“The SDMC committee members have decided to bear the salary of the teacher,” Mr. Shetty said.
Mr. Shetty recounted the meeting with SDMC members in January that the school agreed to implement an English medium and provide all facilities available at private schools in the vicinity.
“Following permission from government in February, we moved around schools and also the localities to get 12 students,” Mr. Shetty said.
Block Education Officer (Mangalore North) Raghunath, who worked in the same school for 20 years, said that they planned to start English medium from LKG from the next academic year in the school.
A similar initiative has been taken by Government Higher Primary School, Mukwe, on the outskirts of Puttur.
The school has started LKG in English medium with all facilities and features seen in kindergartens run by private schools in the vicinity.
“Despite financial constraints many were opting for LKG in private schools. We intend to provide quality education at affordable cost here,” said Anasuya Bai B., headmistress of the school.
SDMC members and the school’s alumni have met the expenses of building a new classroom . They have also agreed to bear the cost of running the school van and the salaries of Montessori-trained teacher posted for the LKG. As many as 20 students have been admitted on the first year of the LKG.
