Forlorn tribal school set to reopen for one student awaits its sole teacher

A S Sukhil. Photo: Manorama

Vithura (Thiruvananthapuram): Even as all schools in Kerala are decked up to welcome newcomers, the Government Tribal Lower Primary School located at Tholicode near here is awaiting a teacher. Moreover, for the first time in the history of this half-a-century-old school it would reopen for the next academic year for just one student!

The lone student at this school, A S Sukhil, has none to even talk to if the new teacher does not take charge on June 1, the day the school reopens. Nagarur native K V Anil Kumar, the Head Master, who was Sukhil’s only companion at school, is set to retire on Wednesday.

Sukhil, who is a native of Aithi in Aryanad, is in his 4th grade. No one has sought admission to the first grade at this school this year. There are no students in Classes 2 and 3 too.

The Education Department has informed that a new teacher would take charge on the day of the school reopening at this school.

The school was inaugurated in 1975 to educate the children from Aruviyodu, Anappetti, and Methottam tribal settlements and Thozhikkodu and Uzhamalakkal villages. At one point, the school had a strength of more than a hundred students.

The school with 5 classrooms is located about 5 kilometres from the main road.

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