Teachers clean well in Kerala to ensure drinking water to students

Two teachers in Kerala have proved that a teacher's job is not just imparting lessons to children, but ensuring their overall well-being too.

As the schools in Kerala reopened after two-month summer vacations on June 1, the well of a school in Kozhikode was contaminated and dried up. With no workers easily available, two women teachers took up the task and entered the well and cleaned it. A video of the teachers cleaning the well went viral on social media and they are being widely appreciated by many including state Education Minister V Sivankutty.

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Shilja K V and C K Dhanya of Eramangalam government lower primary school at Balussery in Kozhikode entered the well, which was not so deep, and cleaned it and recharged the well with the help of other teachers.

It was on the eve of the school reopening that the teachers came across the poor plight of the well. Owing to the lack of proper maintenance and garbage, the water flow to the well was also affected and it almost dried up. With only limited time available and finding workers not that easy, the two teachers volunteered to enter the well. With the help of others the mud and garbage were removed and the water sources to the well revived.

"Getting water was very important as it would even affect schools' noon meals. Hence we decided to do it," said the teachers who are being widely appreciated for their commitment towards students.

Even while appreciating the teachers, many netizens were also blaming the government for not ensuring basic facilities as schools and putting the teachers at risk.