There is a small village named Narapanenipalli in Telangana, which is known for a unique set up of schooling open for only one student. Yes, the government run school is attended by a nine-year-old girl Keerthana who is taught by only one teacher Uma Parvathi. This is a one of a kind setup of a school which is the only one in the state, but there are other schools in India running in a similar manner.
Keerthana comes to the school at 9 in the morning. After the prayer, she gets to studying. Keerthana starts with English, then Telugu. Followed by a lunch break, she studies Mathematics and Environmental Studies (EVS). She spends her entire day at school with her teacher as the only company.
Keerthana’s teacher Uma Parvathi believes that teaching is supposed to be the same, no matter the attendance of students, be it 10, 20 or only one. There has to be no change in the teaching methods. Even though it decreases the burden.
Parvathi recalls a time around 15 years ago, when there were over 70 students in the school. The number declined significantly over the years. The primary reason is children now moving to private institutions for their studies, especially after the fourth grade.
In order to operate the school, it costs the state around $14,000, i.e. 1.2 million rupees. But the administration states that no student shall stay away from schools. It will provide the faculties as well as facilities to ensure smooth functioning of the government schools.
Keerthana’s parents want her to continue in the school for a few more years, until she reaches seventh grade. After which she will move to a hostel for her further studies. A major reason known for this is that if Keerthana moves, the school might be closed, and shall never reopen again. In order to keep the school functioning also, Keerthana’s parents send her here.
Telangana, as of 2021, had over 41,000 schools in the state, with 26,000 state run. A significant progress has been observed in the participation of the children from various sections along with an improvement in the attendance rates. There are six million school aged children in Telangana, but the drop has been massive for this school in Narapanenipalli. The school is still alive, but a step away from closure. But Keerthana’s story lives on…a testament to an unwavering spirit of learning in India.