Karnataka govt school offers ₹1,000 per student to draw enrolment before centenary

Mangaluru: Govt Higher Primary School, Punchappady, near Savanoor in Kadaba taluk, in a move to boost enrolment ahead of its centenary in 2027-28, is offering to deposit Rs 1,000 in the name of every child admitted this academic year.Headmistress Rashmitha Jain said the school, established in Aug 1927, will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027-28. A centenary celebration committee has been formed to raise funds and undertake initiatives to strengthen the school, with support from Girishankar Sulaya of Smartha Janaseva Trust.The response has been encouraging, with 10 new admissions already recorded and five more students expected to join shortly, said Rashmitha. She attributed the growing interest to the introduction of bilingual education in govt schools this year.“With the bilingual system being rolled out, more parents are showing interest in enrolling their children in govt schools,” she said.The school currently has around 40 students from classes 1 to 7 and is staffed by two permanent teachers. Authorities are hopeful of securing two guest teachers. They said that one teacher will also be sponsored through contributions from donors and the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC).‘Kalika Uyale’The reopening day on Monday (June 1) is set to be a memorable one for students. Children will be welcomed on a specially arranged ‘Kalika Uyale’ (learning swing) and honoured as part of the celebrations.Textbooks and notebooks have already arrived, and educational materials collected through donors will be distributed after children are seated on the swing installed in the school garden.Parents and SDMC members have participated in beautifying the campus by placing Kannada and English alphabets around the garden. The school is also hoping to secure playground equipment to further improve facilities.