Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru 

Mangaluru, Jul 10: Retaining the government schools has been posing a big challenge now-a-days because of problems like lack of students and shortage of teachers. A number of rural schools have already faced closure. In some schools, honorary teachers are appointed, but paying them salaries is another challenge. To obviate these difficulties, a school in Dakshina Kannada district has drawn up a plan. 

The students of the government school at Kula have found a new plan to generate income to pay to the honorary teachers. They cultivate jasmine in the school compound for the survival of their school. Out of the income derived out of this cultivation, they have been meeting the honorariums of the honorary teachers. 

In most of the cases, teachers who get appointed or transferred to rural places go back to urban areas within a few years. This affects the future of the students of the school. This is one of the issues, which encourages parents to admit students into private schools. Students of Kula government school have succeeded in finding a solution to this issue. 

Dharmasthala Rural Development Project has been extending support for this activity. The school children look after the growth and maintenance of jasmine plants. Teachers and students arrive at the school early and undertake the work of watering the plants and picking jasmine flowers. The school staff members then neatly convert the jasmine flowers into garland type formations which are locally very popular. The flowers are then sent to Kabaka market. This cultivation brings income of around Rs 50,000 per month out of which honorarium is paid to the teachers. 

The teachers and students of this school have become a model for others to emulate as they uphold dignity of labour and love of education. Their endeavour has ensured that a school that was facing closure continues to function.