Hyderabad: The next time you want to celebrate your kid’s birthday, do it at a government school instead of a star hotel. The pleasure you derive from sharing those precious moments with children who have grown up with limited resources cannot be imagined.
There’s a new practice developing in the State, with socially-aware citizens celebrating birthdays and other occasions at government schools and donating a part of their earnings to these kids. Mr Chandrasekhar Patel, vice president in an IT company, celebrated his daughter Tanvi’s birthday at his alma mater, Government Primary School in Kondurg, 20 km from Shadnagar and 70 km from Hyderabad. He distributed notebooks, pencil boxes and sweets to 70 students.
There are others who have been bestowing similar generous gifts. Mr Rajesh Patel paid a Vidya volunteer Rs 3,000 a month for seven months to teach English at a government school.
Mr Madhav Reddy presented sportswear worth Rs 20,000, Banjara Cosmetics gave threee ceiling fans, 25 school bags, SBH Shadnagar sponsored notebooks, a green board, realtor Sudhakar Goud presented English books, plates, Mr Yahya Pasha gave a computer, Old Students of SW Residential School donated a mike set, Deevya Shakti Paper Mills donated Rs1 lakh worth benches and tables at different government schools. There are three government schools in the village.
When Mr Santosh Addagulla sought help on Facebook from old students of Gorlaveedu Government School, Gorlaveedu, Bhupalapally in Jayashankar district, which had 120 students but lacked drinking water, bathrooms, doors/windows of classrooms, the response was overwhelming.
Mr Addagulla posted: “The support was so great that the target of $1,050 was overshot and we received close to $1,200” Mr Laxman, a resident of Vatpally in Sangareddy district, distributed sweet packets to around 50 government primary school kids on his son’s birthday.
A birthday party costs between Rs 50,000 and Rs1 lakh and more for a gathering of 100 in a star hotel. This amount, or less than this, many are realizing, can be best spent on government school kids deprived of basics like note books, safe drinking water, desks, chairs, shoes, pens, pencils, benches etc
“It’s a good trend, these birthday donations. We also get donations in kind. The government provides free text books, two pairs of school uniforms and mid day meals but not notebooks. Many can’t afford notebooks. There is also a need for drinking water, especially in summer,” Mr Bandaru Premsagar, a government school teacher of Kondurg, said.
“Most of the students are conscientious and a little support will help them to come up in life,” he adds.
In his Mandal Parishad Primary School, there are 52 students, of which 34 are girls and 18 are boys. They are children of daily wage earners, farmers, farm labourers and those working in local companies.
Eleven-year-old J. Cauvery may not have access to basic facilities at her government school in Kondurg, but she has dreams of becoming a top cop! Now going to the sixth standard, Ms Cauvery’s requests will certainly leave planners flabbergasted. “We want drinking water, more teachers and note books. It costs about Rs 12 for a notebook, which many can’t afford. We also need 6 to 7 books annually,” said Ms Cauvery.
Ms Cauvery’s father Krishnaiah, who has two daughters — Sirisha in Class 8, Cauvery — and a son ekes out his livelihood by selling dosas and idlis in Kondurg but is keen to educate his children. “They are studying well and I want to ensure they come out with flying colours,” said Mr Krishnaiah.
Ask Ms Cauvery what she would like to become after completing her higher studies and she responds swiftly, “Police, sir, to eliminate wrongdoers.”
According to teacher J. Sridevi working in Sangareddy district, the supply of fine rice and other quality food like eggs, leafy vegetables, pappu (dal), sambar etc improved attendance.
