As cash flows, future looks bright for heritage schools

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has released Rs 2.5 lakh to 100 schools that have completed a hundred years as part of the heritage school preservation programme.

The move comes a year after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s announced the programme in last year’s budget. This is the first chunk of the allocations to be released to these schools for the preservation of the heritage structures.

Outlining the important features of the initiative, Commissioner of DPI P C Jaffer said emphasis would be laid on highlighting the heritage value of the structure or the school.

The School Development Monitoring Committee would be entrusted the responsibility of ensuring the funds are used appropriately.

The commissioner said that committee members had been directed to immediately list the requirements of the school and send it to the commissioner's office.

The entire plan drafted by the committee must also be a time-bound one and approved by the school principal.

As part of the initiative, school management of these heritage schools will compile the school’s history in at least 50 pages. Alternatively, schools can also make an audio-visual presentation on the same.

List of alumni

Once the renovation works are complete, school managements have to enlist some of the most famous alumni of the school, said Jaffer.

“Retired teachers, alumni, donors in the past, locals who have supported the school and local authorities ought to be invited and a centenary programme has to be planned. During the event, the ups and downs during the journey have to be recollected,” said a senior official in the education department.

The schools identified in the Bengaluru sector are as follows: GHPS Model Naigeyara Beedi, Doddaballapura, GHPS Boodigere in Devanahalli, GKGMS Hoskote, GHPS Urdu in Bengaluru North 3, GMPS Chikkabanavara in North 4, GMPS Sondekopps in North 1, GMPS Immadihalli in South 4 and GHPS Gottigere in South 3.