Century-old government schools in Bengaluru receive grants, but fall short on teachers and students

There are 3,222 government schools in Karnataka, most of which are over 100 years old. The majority of such schools are in Belagavi (479), Vijayapura (250), Haveri (223), and Dharwad (202). There are 31 such schools in Bengaluru North, 56 in Bengaluru South, and 68 in Bengaluru Rural.  

The Government Model School, established a hundred years ago in the heart of Bengaluru, is just a few hundred metres away from Malleswaram Circle. Back then, the school had around 2,000 students, but today, it has just 52 students across seven classrooms.  

Around two years ago, the school building underwent a makeover. The school has smart boards and smart classes equipped with projectors, but not enough teachers to utilise these facilities properly. There are three teachers, each teaching about a dozen subjects to different classes.

“We have all the facilities we need infrastructure-wise, but we do not have enough human resources to utilise these facilities in the best way possible for our students,” said a teacher at the school. 

There are 3,222 government schools in Karnataka, most of which are over 100 years old. The majority of such schools are in Belagavi (479), Vijayapura (250), Haveri (223), and Dharwad (202). There are 31 such schools in Bengaluru North, 56 in Bengaluru South, and 68 in Bengaluru Rural.  

In the last few years, the government of Karnataka has been providing grants of up to ₹16.5 lakh to many such schools for infrastructural development.  

“In the last few years, we have given such grants anywhere between ₹5 lakh to ₹16.5 lakh to 18 schools in Bengaluru, and many more across Karnataka. The schools can utilise this money for anything they need to develop or maintain the school,” Dr. V. Trilokchandra, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction and Literacy, told The Hindu. 

Grants are released for government schools for their overall maintenance, and schools listed under the School Development Plan (SDP) also receive substantial amounts.