Three teachers walk 10-km to teach a student

To ensure that a child is not deprived of education during the Covid pandemic, three government school teachers walk for nearly 10-km in a forest area, in order to conduct classes to a child at Ontedakaje in Panapila, in Moodbidri taluk.

A Malekudiya family has been residing inside the thick forest at Ontedakaje and eking a living by carrying out farming. Ravi, a class 7 student of Panapila Primary School hails from Ontedakaje.

With the help of local residents, school headteacher Sujatha Jain, assistant teachers Rashmi Bhat and Navya have been visiting his house by walking along the forest area once in a week to conduct classes for him.

“The department had directed us to visit the houses to conduct classes. We have been visiting the house of the student from June. There are two other students attending other schools in Ontedakaje area. We teach them lessons during our free time. There are no proper roads to climb the hilly areas. We reach the house by walking,” said headteacher Sujatha Jain.

Having realised our problem, local residents Sunil Panapila, Harish, Dinesh, Vishwanth and school cook Vanitha accompany us to the house.

“Ontedakaje is located 10-km away from Panapila and is in an elevated place. Three houses in the village do not have electricity connections and drinking water facilities. There are no foot roads to reach the village,” said the local residents.