Govt lower primary school near forest in Vithura pleads for a bus

Vithura: The Government Lower Primary School (LPS) at Kadukkakkunnu, Malayadi at Tholicode, near Vithura, in Thiruvananthapuram district desperately needs an own school bus to survive. The school had witnessed an increase in students in the new academic year, compared to last year. During the previous years, there was a steady decrease in student strength, but efforts by the panchayat and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) resulted in a hike in admissions this year.

The measures implemented to attract students include a new two-storey building with smart classrooms constructed at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore under the ‘Varnakoodaram’ project. Currently, the work on providing air-conditioning in six classrooms in this building with the support of voluntary organisations is in the last stage. Facilities such as television, speaker and mike have also been installed. Similarly, colourful paintings have appeared on the walls.

Teachers said that the classrooms provide students with the right environment to learn their lessons confidently. The best facilities have been arranged in a government school situated in a hilly area close to the forest, they pointed out. However, of the 100 students in the school, 53 stay in faraway places and cannot walk to school due to the threat of wild animals, which often stray out of the nearby forest.

Last year, many of these students travelled to the school in a vehicle belonging to Vinobha Niketan Upper Primary School (UPS), which is located close to the Kadukkakkunnu LPS. But with Vinobha Nikethan also witnessing an increase in student strength this year, children studying in Kadukkakkunnu LPS cannot use its bus.

As a temporary solution to the problem, teachers and the PTA of Kadukkakkunnu LPS have arranged a private vehicle for the conveyance of the students. School officials said that this is an expensive affair, costing around ₹3,000 a day. Pointing out that cessation of this service would affect the travel of students, school officials urged the authorities concerned to take urgent measures to arrange an own bus for the school.