Headmaster reverses trend in enrolment

After Khooba Naik took over as the headmaster of Hallikere Government Higher Primary School, the student strength has almost doubled.— Photo: VAIDYA

The closure of government schools owing to poor enrolment has become commonplace as parents prefer to admit their children in private English-medium schools.

But there is a trend reversal at the Government Higher Primary School (GHPS) in Hallikere-Barandur village of Bhadravati taluk.

After he became the headmaster of this school in 2011, Khooba Naik launched various student-friendly initiatives by mobilising funds from the community, and the student strength has almost doubled over four years.

In 2011, the school had 90 students, which has now touched 173. This year, 17 students from reputed private educational institutions joined the government school for classes 5 and 6.

As a majority of students are from low income groups, Mr. Naik set up a corpus fund for them.

A sum of Rs. 1,000 is deposited in a nationalised bank for each student, when they join class 1. When the student reaches class 10, they receive Rs. 4,773. In addition to the uniform provided by the Department of Public Instruction, another set with an attractive colour and design, a pair of shoes and socks, an umbrella, bag, and books are provided for free.

The school offers training in communicative English and computers. To enhance life skills, students are given training in gardening. The vegetables cultivated by the students are used for midday meals. Students also stage English dramas during the school anniversary programme.Mr. Naik told The Hindu that owing to wrong notions prevailing on the academic standards, discipline and work culture of government schools, parents preferred private schools. K. Ramesh, president of the School Development and Monitoring Committee, said attractive uniforms, the ability to converse in English, and computer knowledge have increased the level of confidence among students here. Mr. Naik said that many old students were software professionals and bureaucrats now. Some of them have made it big in business as well.

A sum of Rs. 2 lakh is needed every year for the student-friendly initiatives, and this is contributed by the old students and some donors in the taluk, he said.