Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)
Udupi, Jan 20: The recent developments give rise to a suspicion that a ploy to close down Vidyavardhaka Kannada Medium aided high school has been hatched.
The school, located at Panchanabettu, Hiriadka, has been imparting education since the last 30 years. Now it is facing the prospect of being closed. Vidyavardhaka Sangha alleges that the education department is supporting such an effort.
The school, established in 1991, had been operating for 18 years without the government grants, purely on the support extended by donors and locals.
Hiriadka is located 15 km away from the city. The area is progressing slowly. Panchanabettu is 10 km away from Hiriadka and is surrounded by forest. There are no buses and the children tread the path of rocks, mud, and forest to reach the school. There are no schools in a radius of 15 km from Vidyavardhaka. Currently, the school is about to admit 25 to 30 students to eighth standard but the school has been listed among the Kannada schools that are being closed down because of dwindling admissions.
The school opened hostel after the number of students dwindled. Children from other districts have stayed in the hostel and are studying at Vidyavardhaka. President of Vidyavardhaka Sangha, M Narasimha, has alleged that former deputy director of public instruction,, Sheshashayana Karinja, and Udupi district education officer, have planned to close the school as the government had permitted on December 6, 2020, to renew the recognition for a year. He says that Udupi block education officer has been harassing the teachers by not disbursing salary as per rules.
He says that last year, block education officer summoned three teachers to her office and asked them to leave the school. Out of the three teachers, two have been transferred. The person who has not been transferred is not getting salary for the last seven months. Because of Covid, an entire ademic year has gone waste. SSLC students are yet to get text books and students are not interested to go elsewhere as they have to undertake long travel and there are no buses.
Narasimha says that discussions about the issue were held with minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary, and education minister, Suresh Kumar who permitted for the continuation of classes. However, an official government letter on this matter is yet to be received. Therefore, Narsimha says, that a strong suspicion that the education department has been planning to close the school is deep-rooted.