HYDERABAD: In Boorugupadu, a remote village in Bhadradri Kothagudem district affected by Maoist activity, 45 ST-Koya students now attend a renovated school thanks to the efforts by local police and staff.
Previously, the dilapidated shed housing the Mandal Parishad Primary School deterred attendance, especially during rainy weather.
The cops took up the complete expenses for constructing a new spacious classroom and an office room, inaugurated last week. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve living conditions in Maoist-affected areas, said district SP B Rohit Raju, emphasizingz that access to education gives children an opportunity to choose the right path in life.
Founded in 2000, the school's enrollment increased from 16 to 45 students since 2018, when Secondary Grade Teacher ( SGT) Savaralam Veeraswamy was posted there. Despite initial fears, Veeraswamy engaged with villagers, highlighting education's importance. He also spearheaded a community effort to build a concrete road connecting the village to the highway.
"Though I belonged to a neighbouring village, I was scared to work here. But the local youths, their way of looking at life, inspired me to stay put and do something for the school and the village," he told TOI. As a result of his efforts, the school, which had only 16 students in 2018, now has 45 students.
When school infrastructure remained a challenge, Veeraswamy and his colleague ASV Nagaralaxmi approached Charla police station Station House Officer (SHO) A Raju Varma. Seeing the school's condition, Varma's team took on the renovation project, providing students with a spacious, weather-resistant learning environment.
"They initially sought some help for the school, but after seeing the school, we took up the responsibility to repair it completely. Now the children have a good spacious shed and an office for the staff also. We don't have to worry about the rain," said Varma.
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