Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Apr 2: The board says it is a government school. But a look at the school compound can baffle the stranger as they start to wonder whether it is agricultural land or garden. A person entering the school gets welcomed by medicinal and flower plants. The entire school area looks lush green.

This is the scene at the government higher primary school at Nallur. The school provides knowledge to the children and also lays emphasis on extracurricular activities. With the joint efforts of the headmaster, teachers, school development and monitoring committee and education lovers, the school has been conducting various activities.

The school's 'Dhanwantari Ayurveda Vana' boasts of over 115 different medicinal plants. Every plant has been identified with a name written on a card attached to it. Students and teaches alike look after the garden. The school garden also has flower plants and vegetables like spinach. The walls of the school have messages calling for environmental protection, Tulunadu grandeur, names of great personalities and poets in trees and plants, reading of newspapers every day, etc. This school has bagged the 'green school' award and best school award.

This school has a library that has nearly 40,000 books. Children, parents, old students and others, on their birthdays, gift books to the school instead of sweets. That practice has been on for many years. The school also provides vocational training in tailoring etc and also gives the opportunity to learn Bharatnatyam, music etc. It also has a playground named 'sound body' which has been prepared by spending seven lac rupees. A 'Parashurama Kuteera (shed)' on the Gurukul model has been erected here. Classes are held in the 'Kuteera' with the intention of coming out the four walls and educating in an open-air environment.

As most of the children do agricultural activities at their homes, they gladly work in the garden here. Headmaster of the school, Nagesh, says that with the support of the education department, MLA, teachers, donors, children and their parents, etc. the school has been able to provide a good ambience to the children.