Children make do with lessons in open fields

The Government Lower Primary School at Hemavathi Layout, in K.R. Pet town of the district, was established in 1999. Seventeen years down the line, the school still lacks classrooms and students take lessons under trees near the playground.

“Why should I send my daughter to a school that does not have basic infrastructure? You want her to become a pourakarmika like me?” Mangala, a pourakarmika, said.

Poor infrastructure in some government schools, implementation of quota in private schools under the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act and mushrooming of private schools that provide English-medium education has resulted in the dwindling strength of government schools.

The prevailing drought situation, leading to large-scale migration, is also adding to the problem, say Education Department officials.

Several hundreds of families, especially nuclear families, have migrated to Bengaluru since 2012 owing to consistent drought situations. The number of RTE seats in Mandya district rose to 2,588 during 2016-17. These are two major factors giving a blow to government schools.

KV too

Even the much-awaited Kendriya Vidyalaya School (KVS) at B. Hosuru Colony in the taluk, established during the last academic year, lacks infrastructure. The Central school, which was established under the civil sector scheme, is still functioning in a dilapidated building.

“Facilities are still a mirage for the school. Teachers have to conduct classes in the open fields,” said a teacher of the school.