Malnad villagers fear school merger will further isolate remote places

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The Karnataka government’s proposal to merge government schools with low enrolment with the closest located Karnataka Public Schools (KPSs) has left people in the villages of the hilly Malnad region worried. They argue that the impact of closing schools in these remote villages will be greater than in other parts of the State.

The Malnad region is characterised by hamlets scattered over a large area, nestling between hills and in wooded areas. A child has to either walk or travel a couple of kilometers to reach his or her school. A majority of primary schools located in remote areas of Koppa, Sringeri, Mudigere, and N.R. Pura taluks of Chikkamagaluru, as well as those in other Malnad districts, have only a few students enrolled.

“We are worried that in the name of setting up new KPSs, all our rural schools will close by the coming academic year,” feared Subramanya Somanakodige, a gram panchayat member and resident of Huligaradi in Sringeri taluk.

Five schools closed

Mr. Somanakodige recalled that in the last seven to eight years, five government primary schools located in Huligaradi, Arehalla, Kolegodu, Halarane, and Kittalegoli in the Agalagandi gram panchayat alone were closed. The children from these schools have either been admitted to residential schools or forced to join private schools in Jayapura or Sringeri.

“A school, particularly in our area, is not just a physical structure. It is the heart of the village, a centre of activities, and a meeting point for the villagers. The role of a school in the region goes beyond providing education for children,” he pointed out.

The villages bordering the Kudremukh National Park lack proper roads, transportation facilities, and mobile network coverage. Many parents in these villages admit their children to residential schools at an early age. As a result, only a few get enrolled in local government schools.

Late arrivals

“In our school, children keep coming even an hour after the bell has rung. However, we allow them in, as these children assist their parents with agricultural work before reaching school,” said a government teacher who wished to remain anonymous. However, if the schools are merged with the KPSs, many students may stop attending school, the teacher feared.

The government is contemplating arranging vehicles to pick up and drop off students to reach the schools. “There will be designated pick-up points. If a child does not reach the pick-up point on time, he or she will miss class that day. We cannot expect the driver to wait for all students to board the vehicle,” said the teacher, whose school has 28 students enrolled from Class I to VII.

The higher primary schools at Karemane, Byredevaru, Dayamballi villages in Sringeri taluk with enrollments of 17, 42 and 16, respectively, also face the threat of closure.

The local residents want the School Education Department to treat the Malnad region as a special case and ensure that schools remain open in villages, despite low enrolment.

Teachers’ role

“The schools in the region serve as a bridge between the village and the outside world. There are teachers who play the role of guides to the villagers as well,” opined Krishnamurthy, a resident of Heggar-Kudige in Sringeri taluk.