Students return from vacation to board Education Express
BHARATPUR: Another government school in Rajasthan has decided to take its students on a ‘train ride’ — every day. The principal of Government Primary School in Sherpur village under Viparpur gram panchayat in Dholpur, Rajesh Sharma had a surprise for his students joining the classes last week after the winter vacation. The students returned to their school to board the Education Express.
That’s right. After authorities at the Government Senior Secondary School in Alwar painted their walls to resemble a train, the school in Sherpur has fol- lowed suit. “I got the painting completed in 15 days when the school was closed for the vacation from December 25 to January 7,” Sharma said, adding that he got the idea after seeing the school in Alwar painted into a train.
The principal said he collected Rs 1.25 lakh from teachers and villagers and contacted Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan junior engineer Rajesh Lawania, who had worked on the school in Alwar. Lawania helped Sharma get in touch with the painters.
Over the past week, the school has emerged as a favourite selfie point for the villagers — and the students have barely missed a class. From the time when the classes were held under a tree, the school has come a long way. In August 2014, it was shut as it had only 30 students. Then, the villagers and the teachers met the then district collector and requested that the school be reopened. They promised to work together to increase enrolment, Sharma said.
Four years later, the school now has 210 students (116 girls and 94 boys) enrolled with it, the most in a government primary school (up to Class 5) in the district, the principal said with a touch of pride. The school has two classrooms and three teachers. Sharma credits the increase in enrolments to philanthropists who provided funds for uniforms, books and bags which were given to the students free of cost.