2 schools close down for want of students

Speaking to Deccan Herald DDPI Nagendra Madhyastha said Udyavara West Government Lower Primary School in Padukere and Mitrabettu Government Primary School near Shirva were shut down temporarily due to lack of students this year.

He said “there were possibilities of closing many more schools as the admissions are open till June 30. Only then we will get the clear picture on number of schools that are being shut,” he added.

The Udyavara West Government lower primary School was functioning since 1940. Unfortunately the school with more than 70 years history was closed down for the reason that parents are not coming forward to send their kids in Kannada medium school. The school was called as “Darbar School” because the school was built by a person named Darbar.

Last year, there were two schools in the district which did not get students. They are Heranje Government Primary School in Brahmavar and Tadalu Government Primary School near Pethri. The two teachers who were working in these two schools were transferred to other schools in the district. The problem also exists in Byndoor, where there were 4 to 5 schools which had shortage of students. “We are also keeping an eye on Konki Government Primary School near Nadaguddeangadi and Argodu Government Primary School near Basrur that has reported very less number of students.”

Lack of teachers

The DDPI also informed that an aided school in Karkala was closed down for lack of teachers.

All the teachers in Mudubettu Aided Lower Primary School in Shivapura had retired. There are as many as 37 students in the school. The management has now handed the administration of the school to the government and now it is under the government’s control, he added.

Madhyastha informed that government is taking up new experiment to introduce English medium schools from 6th and 7th standard. Four schools in each zone will be selected for the experiment. If more than 50 per cent of the students show interest in learning English, then the  government will come forward to start English medium school. There should be minimum 50 students each in 6th and 7th standard, he added.