A huge relief in store for Kotalagaruvu MPPS students as they will soon step into a ‘real’ classroom

Visakhapatnam: It is very convenient to teach students in a school by commuting a few kilometres each day. But what if one has to travel close to 40-km wading through narrow lanes and hilly terrain before reaching the campus and returning home? Not many would prefer that, right?

But Kottagulli Ganesh Kumar, a Secondary Grade Teacher (SGT), travels from Paderu to Kotalagaruvu MPPS located at G. Madugula mandal in Alluri Sitarama Raju district riding his two-wheeler where about 28 students eagerly await his arrival to greet him ‘Good morning, sir’ in chorus. It has been almost five years since he moved to Kotalagaruvu after serving as a Secondary Grade Teacher at Vakapalli MPPS for four years.

Initially, there was no school building in the area. “However, some villagers’ verandahs often served as temporary premises for us,” the SGT shared with The Hans India ahead of the Teachers’ Day. Unable to continue at the makeshift premises that a few kind villagers lent for the children, Ganesh Kumar decided to set up a temporary classroom for the students, building it with mud and tin sheets. “Since the hilly terrain is very breezy, the tin sheets often blew away, leaving us more vulnerable to the harsh weather conditions,” recalled Ganesh Kumar.

Despite approaching officials concerned and the District Collector, submitting a representation to provide basic infrastructure for the students, nothing much has changed for the wards studying at Kotalagaruvu MPPS which is dominated by girl students. Despite the higher presence of girl students, there are no washrooms as most of them relieve themselves in open spaces, a little away from what they term as ‘school’. However, the long struggle the students havebeen enduring will now end, as a donor came forward to build concrete infrastructure, including two dedicated washrooms for boys and girls, and also provide learning materials and required furniture. “After visiting the school a couple of times, Jammu Kodandaram, a neurosurgeon based in Rajamahendravaram, volunteered to contribute to the school,” Ganesh Kumar informed.

Currently, the construction work for the campus is in progress. In a month or two, the building is expected to be completed. Fortunately, the region has no water shortage, as the Rural Water Supply caters to the villagers’ needs, including the school’s. With a cook engaged, midday meals, snacks, and eggs are served to the children without a hassle.

Having seen the lack of infrastructure, Dr Kodandaram stated that he could not stop himself from extending support to the children. “During the monsoon season, their condition is even worse. The campus construction is in progress at the village and is estimated to cost roughly Rs.7 lakh,” the neurosurgeon mentioned. From having no campus to relying on a temporary arrangement, students of Kotalagaruvu MPPS, including 18 girls, feel relieved that they will soon listen to lessons without the fear of sitting under a leaky roof in a rain-soaked classroom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rani Devalla

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Rani Devalla is an experienced journalist specialised in a range of beats. From crime to politics, health to human interest, education to defence along with entertainment and feature stories, Rani Devalla, an accomplished writer with a passion for exploring diverse genres, has been reporting for the past 14 years. Serving as Bureau Chief of The Hans India in Visakhapatnam, Rani Devalla contributes to the organisation's editorial department through daily reporting, special stories and feature stories. After completing B.Com, Rani Devalla pursued Masters in Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Hans India, Rani Devalla worked as a Principal Correspondent with The Hindu Group for six-and-a-half years. With rich expertise, she brings diverse perspectives to her reporting that makes her narratives stand out. When not immersed in writing, the journalist spends time reading, travelling and journaling.

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