Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Mar 30: A lady teacher, by setting aside a part of her salary for depositing the same in the names of the students getting admitted into her government school, has succeeded in improving the student strength of the school.

This scheme was introduced by teacher Rekha Prabhakar, who is from Shankaranarayana in the taluk. She has been running the above scheme at the government school at Noolaggery, Nagar revenue division, Hosanagar taluk, Shivamogga district.

The government school and Rekha Prabhakar (inset)

When Rekha joined the said school in 2010, the total student strength from first to seventh standard was 20. Only two to three fresh children joined the school every year. Rekha tried to change the scenario by meeting leaders, parents etc and urging them to send children to school. After these efforts failed, she thought of the above plan.

As per the new scheme introduced by her in 2013-14, she deposits Rs 1,000 in the name of every child joining the first standard. The amount along with interest is made available to the student as soon as he or she complete their SSLC education, to finance further study. With the support of this scheme, the student strength has now gone up to 83. Rekha does not want to speak about the money she spent for the scheme. She has the support of her husband Prabhakar, who is in the forest department.

Rekha said she and her husband belonged to very poor families, and got educated with the support of the society. "We both have got government jobs. I want to do something for the children's education. I feel I have got an opportunity to pay something back to the society out of the favours I have received from it," she explains.