Krishnagiri: A government school started in Anchetti Durgam village when K. Kamaraj was the Chief Minister has lost its sheen due to various issues, most unexpected among them being the small family norm that is de-populating already backward villages in Krishnagiri district.
The elementary school located in Kelamangalam union, here in Krishnagiri district has its own building with tiled roof and looking good even after many decades of its service to the poor rural children.
According to sources, the school was started when Kamaraj was the Chief Minister and shifted to the present building, which was inaugurated in 1965 by M.Venkatachalam, the sub-collector for Hosur.
However, the single-teacher school having classes from first standard to fifth standard faces threat of closure, as done in other parts of the state, due to poor enrollment which necessitates closing of such institutions permanently.
Similar is the case of other schools in Thally and Kelamangalam blocks of Krishnagiri. Around 39 schools in these two blocks are plagued by poor student strength, including each one school in Mallepalayam and Dasanapuram villages.
Mallepalayam elementary school was started in 1973 for children in Mallepalayam, Vasanthapuram and Irularpatti villages. These three habitation records a total population of around 126 people who dwells in 27 houses.
As many as 11 among 16 children study in the government elementary school and others have migrated except a small girl who was sent to a private kinder garden school.
“It is wrong to say that the government schools have lost its importance among villagers. The fact is that the village lacks in population due to awareness created about the importance of a small family (family planning)” a school teacher told DC on anonymity.
He further bemoaned, “the total population of the Anchetti Durgam village is 379 including 181 female and 198 male. Just 26 among them are in the age group of five to ten. Thirteen of them study in my school. Others are either sent to private school or their families moved out of the village for some reason.”
