Headmaster spends own money for transporting students

Salur (Vizianagaram): This headmaster never feels that teaching some alphabets and lessons to the children is his only responsibility. Instead, he felt that the students should be inspired and encouraged to join government schools.

For this, he has been spending money out of his own pocket to send them to school. He purchased an auto-rickshaw and started picking up the students daily at their homes and dropping them at school. Even in the evening, he is picking up the students and dropping them at their doorsteps.

He is R Rajanikanth, headmaster of Bangarammapeta Municipal Upper Primary School at Salur in Vizianagaram. The school is located just two km from the main town but the parents are reluctant to send their children to school there as they do not have proper transport facility. Within a few years, the strength of that school has come down to 20 in the VI and VII classes. Even the number of students studying from Class I to V also came down drastically.
Rajanikanth wanted to do something to strengthen the government school and prevent its closure. He thought that the lack of transportation was the main reason for the fall in the strength of the students and engaged an auto- rickshaw in the town in 2016. He started knocking on every door in the area and assured every parent that he would look after their transport. The parents, who were convinced of Rajinikanth’s sincerity, started sending their children to that municipal school. Within two years, the students’ strength shot up to 40 in each class and the total number of students in that school reached 110. With this, the government has also sanctioned the regular teachers to teach Hindi, Telugu, English and Biology. Now, the parents are happy to send their children to this school.
Rajanikanth is also running ‘Ramanujan Mathematics Club’ and taking special classes for the students to create interest and enthusiasm in mathematics. He also conduct’s talent tests and distribute certificates to the meritorious students.
The locals of Dabbiveedhi in Venkateswara Colony said that Rajanikanth was inspiring the students and making them to join the government school. “We are happy to see such committed teachers. We should support him”, they added.
Speaking to The Hans India here on Tuesday, Rajanikanth said, “It’s our responsability to protect the government schools from the private and corporate schools. So, I have been spending around Rs 5,000 per month from my pocket and taking these students to the school. Now, the parents are also showing interest in sending their wards to our school,” he added.