This government school in Karnataka gives private-like facilities, minus the fees

Setting the benchmark

A century-old government school in the Mandya district has designed a digital poster and is circulating it on social media to attract students similar to private educational institutions.

The government higher primary boys’ school in Melkote of Pandavapura taluk, established in 1875, has shared the poster on the social media, advertising the facilities and benefits available for students.

The highlights of the poster are silver coins for students joining the first standard Kannada medium; smart class and computer class; spoken English and additional tutoring by volunteer teachers.

Besides regular benefits available in all government schools, the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) of the Melkote school provide a free transport facility to ferry students.

Other facilities are free educational tour; free school bags; notebooks and drawing books; pens, pencils, geometry box and other stationery; biscuits and health supplements with milk; curds with Akshara Dasoha midday meals; special meals with sweets once a week; cost-free annual programme.

Legendary alumni

Headmaster S N Santhana Raman said the school had legendary alumni like writer Pu Thi Narasimhachar (popular as PuTiNa), scholar Devashikamani Alasinghachar and journalist Khadri Shamanna.

“Initially it was a ‘Coolimata,’ which transformed into a lower primary school and then into a middle school,” he said.

Even though it is a ‘boys’ school,’ girl students also study here. At present, there are 110 students in classes 1 to 7 (Kannada medium) and 1 to 3 (English medium).

“They have an aided private high school in Melkote itself and a government high school in Jakkanahalli, seven-kilometre away,” he said.

SDMC vice-president Pavithra said the headmaster, teachers and SDMC members are exploring all resources, from people’s representatives, MLAs, alumni and philanthropists to provide good facilities to the students to make it a model school.

“As private schools sprang up, our school strength reduced to 32 by the early 2010s. Ever since Santhana Raman, also an alumnus here, took over in the academic year 2012-13, we have been working as a team and competing with private schools. He was an assistant teacher and in-charge headmaster. Fortunately, this year, he was promoted as headmaster,” she said.

She said, “Students from neighbouring Narayanapura, Hosahalli, Gujagonahalli, Kanagonahalli, Thalekere, CH Koppalu, Madenahalli, Kodagahalli and Pagade Kallahalli study in our school. We provide them free transportation and spend over Rs 2 lakh over 235 days of an academic year for this”.

SDMC president Devaraju said almost all century-old schools in the erstwhile Mysuru State, comprising the present-day 14 districts of Karnataka, were established by the Wadiyar kings.

“Our grandfather used to say that the Wadiyar kings would visit this school during their visits to Chaluvarnarayanaswamy temple in Melkote. Their descendant Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar should visit all century-old schools in these 14 districts. His mere visits will draw philanthropists to help develop these schools,” he said.

He sought the support of Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to develop all such century-old schools.