Teacher in the outback

OLIVER GOLDSMITH'S `The Village Schoolmaster' does not exist in poetry alone. R. Sankara Narayana, the unassuming Headmaster of the Kotapalli Zilla Parishad High School, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh is a teacher making headlines.

The first CPR Environmental Education Centre Award for Environmental Education for 2001 given in Chennai on Tuesday has recognised his work in transforming his school into an `Udyanavanam'. This teacher is the son of a farmer of backward Gandlavaripall village in Anantapur. ``I have not worked for any award, but this one which has come my way will inspire me into further action,'' he says.

When he was appointed to the school in 1998, it was a barren hill area amidst rocky soil. No phone, no road no proper bus facility. Only 10 children and one teacher. Any teacher who came did not stay more than three months. ``I come from a poor family and I want to help the poor,'' says Mr. Sankara Narayana, who not only rolled up his sleeves to take the spade and clear the bushes, but also shelled out Rs. 10,000 from his pocket and is now paying Rs. 300 per month for taking care of the trees.

Any problems? Yes, scores of them, he narrates. ``When I started my work, I got a memo from the education officials reminding me that my brief is education and not environment!'' Braving the bottlenecks, he settled down near the school. Now there are 150 students and six teachers. Convincing teachers to stay near the school took some time. Illiterate villagers, most of whom were alcoholics did not understand ecological restoration, which he advocated.

Working in tandem with officials and the local MLA, helped him get funds from the Chief Minister's Janmabhoomi Karyakram. Local NGOs including SEEDS helped in identifying the work he was doing and provided help and exposure. His experience says that teachers and students if motivated are only too ready to extend their co- operation. In the slopes, he has created natural bunds around plants and trees to harvest rain water and vermi-composting of organic garbage has also begun.

The dry and barren area is now cool and green with 600 native and drought-resistant species of trees including neem, tamarind, soapnut, banana, Asoka, Babul, Acacia and Jamun and medicinal plants too. Water was carried from a distance of one kilometre with the help of school children who spend an hour daily tending the plants. Now the District Education Committee has provided a water tank.

Teachers are the pillars of the nation, Mr. Sankara Narayana says and his dream is to work with the Government's Swarna Andhra Pradesh scheme to extend the greening programme to all schools in the State. Thinking big is his forte. He wants to start with pressing the local villagers to plant one tree in each house. He wants every child throughout the State and country to know all about environmental conservation.

By Akila Dinakar

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Food for thought