Govt schools hold sway over students

Siddipet (Medak): Not withstanding stiff competition from private schools, here are two government schools in the town holding sway over parents and students because of series of innovative measures initiated by the school administration.

Series of review meetings held by Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and Collector Ronald Rose have yielded positive results and people are increasingly patronising government schools.

On account of the impressive turnaround of government schools, parents are taking out their wards from expensive private schools and getting them enrolled in government schools.

The Zilla Parishad High School at Indira Nagar slum of Prashanti Nagar in the town student strength swelled to 602 on account of 283 new admissions. Last year, the school student strength was a mere 319. Admissions multiplied because old students, their parents and acquaintances referred admissions to the school.

The increased admission is attributed to appointment of new teachers, innovative thinking of Head Master Payyavula Ramaswamy who exploited technology to the hilt. Ramaswamy designed software to reduce administrative workload on teachers to enable them to focus better on academics.

Another innovative measure adopted by him is constitution of student committees holding them accountable for various tasks. The software generates admission number by the time a student is enrolled. The software is user friendly and users find it very useful in updating data like attendance, marks, status of transfer certificates and bonafide certificates. It saves teachers from drudgery.

A cultural committee and other committees on games, academics, food resources, sanitation, attendance and gardening have been constituted with students. Each student has been entrusted with the task of protecting a sapling planted on school premises. Students are even preparing compost under the guidance of gardening in-charge M Sobha Rani.

Portfolio of each student has been prepared incorporating ideals of students and their parents and future plans. The project work book of each student represents a grand vision.

In the words of Ramaswamy, student enrollment increased beyond expectations on account of a positive impact created by the teaching staff with their dedication, sincerity and perseverance. He said the software prepared by him saves time. In fact, the software is being used in private schools.

Unfortunately, no other government school is using it. There will be no compromise on discipline. Teachers are communicating with parents on their wards’ absence. Several students have been mercilessly sent out of the school for violating of discipline.

Several students have been denied admission as there are no seats available in the school, he said adding that six additional class rooms, toilets, compound wall, library room, computer systems are badly required.

Further admissions are subject to development infrastructural amenities in the school by the government, he concluded. Multi-purpose school Another government school worth mentioning is the multi-purpose high school in the town.

The total strength of the school last year was 394. But, during the current academic year over 230 students took admission. Of them, 70 per cent of the students came from private English medium schools. The school has introduced English medium classes from 6th to 10th.

The number of students increased to 624 in the school. Besides a big play ground, good library, sports competitions, NCC, what attracted the students more is recording 100 per cent pass percentage in the SSC.

The notable alumni of the school includes artist of international fame Kapu Rajayya, elected people’s representatives, including the current MP of Medak Prabhakr Reddy, national level volley ball, kho-kho, kabaddi players and athletes.

In-charge headmaster Narayana Reddy attributed increased school strength to untiring efforts of the school staff. He said that the school teachers strive to enroll the meritorious but poor students to corporate colleges. The school students planted 500 saplings as part of Harita Haram and fixed tree guards to them.

Meanwhile, a NATCO Trust delegates recently visited the school to study the conditions. The NATCO Trust, founded by NATCO chairman Nannapaneni Venkayya Chowdary, founded it in 1995. The trust adopted 37 schools in HHyderabad,Kotturu and Nalgonda areas for infrastructural development.