Wed Dec 25 04:20:09 UTC 2024: ## Century-Old Schools in Karnataka Struggle with Low Enrollment and Teacher Shortages
**Bengaluru, December 25, 2024** – Many century-old government schools in Karnataka are facing a crisis, struggling with dwindling student populations and a severe shortage of teachers despite recent infrastructure upgrades. A report highlights the plight of these schools, many of which were established over a hundred years ago and are now operating with significantly reduced student numbers.
The Government Model School in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, for example, boasts renovated facilities including smart boards and classrooms, but has only 52 students and three teachers, each responsible for teaching numerous subjects across different grades. A similar situation prevails at a government lower primary school in Ramanagara district, which has been abandoned due to lack of students.
Across Karnataka, 3,222 government schools, most over 100 years old, are facing similar challenges. Districts like Belagavi, Vijayapura, Haveri, and Dharwad have the highest concentration of these aging schools. Even in Bengaluru, numerous schools are grappling with low enrollment.
While the Karnataka government has provided grants of up to ₹16.5 lakh for infrastructural improvements to many schools, the core issue of teacher shortages and declining student numbers remains. The Right to Education Act is cited as a contributing factor, with many parents opting for private schools. Further complicating the situation, some schools house multiple schools within the same building, creating internal competition for students.
The report underscores the need for comprehensive solutions beyond infrastructure upgrades, emphasizing the urgent need to address teacher shortages and attract students to these historically significant but currently under-resourced institutions. The merging of schools sharing buildings is also suggested as a potential solution to better allocate resources.
First Piper 