730 schools get honorary teachers through SKDRDP

Realising the shortage of teachers in government schools across the state, the Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) has appointed honorary teachers to 730 schools across Karnataka, said Executive Director of SKDRDP Dr L H Manjunath.

The honorary teachers have been appointed based on the direction of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade.

The SKDRDP has been implementing the Jnanadeepa Shikshana programme for providing basic infrastructure facilities in government schools for the last 30 years. Realising that some districts are educationally backward, the SKDRDP had implemented the programmes to improve quality in education and provide a conducive atmosphere for learning, he added.

On noticing the poor ratio between teachers and students, the SKDRDP has started appointing honorary teachers to government and selected aided schools. SKDRDP pays a monthly honorarium to the teachers. This year, SKDRDP is spending Rs 9.50 crore annually for the honorarium of the teachers, said Dr Manjunath.

Of 730 schools, a total of 178 schools had only one teacher. The honorary teachers appointed under the Jnanadeepa programme also visit the houses of students in the age group of six to 14 who dropped out of the school to know the reason for dropping out and make an effort to enrol them back to the school by contacting and convincing the parents. This will help to check the child labour system as well, he said.

The school dropouts from lower primary schools will be contacted to convince them to join the higher primary school, he added.

“We convince the parents to ensure that every child passes a minimum of class 10. Steps are also being taken to increase the attendance in the school,” said Dr Manjunath.

Jnanadeepa Shikshana programme also provides basic facilities including classrooms, toilets, school ground, electrification, drinking water, construction of Ranga Mandira, supply of benches and desks.

The SKDRDP has spent Rs 41 crore so far under the Jnanadeepa Shikshana programme to provide infrastructure facilities in the schools.