These students are forced to go on monsoon vacation

Raining holidays

For more than 50 children from Gudoor and Gudasanakoppa villages in the taluk, vacation in the monsoon is not desirable but inevitable.

They are forced to go on a vacation for nearly five months in the monsoon season, as the only road that links their villages to the Marola Government High School gets submerged in the rainwaters.

The River Varada has been overflowing following heavy rain in the region, and these children, who attended classes just for a month after the summer vacation, will be able to go to school only in October when water in the river subsides.

In the remaining five months of the academic year, teachers will be under pressure to complete their syllabus and compensate for the loss of time due to the seven-month-long holiday for the students.

Gudoor, located on the banks of the Varada backwaters, has only one stretch as a link between the school and other villages.

As the road is on the banks of the backwaters, the slightest increase in the water level is enough to submerge it and turn the surrounding villages into islands.

Headmaster A M Karjagi said the rules of compulsory attendance had been relaxed for these children, considering the situation.

Even for the residents of Gudoor, Gudasanakoppa and Halagi, there is only one alternative stretch. But these villages lack public transport to reach the nearest villages located 10 km away.

Teacher S N Kambali said that though the problem recurs every monsoon, the residents’ cry for a bridge has gone unheard.

“The elected representatives and officials have not heeded our request for a bridge,” said a resident of Gudoor.