It’s heartbreaking to say that the condition of government schools, especially in rural India, can be at times, appalling. The leaking ceilings, lack of electricity, and wrecked furniture is a common sight, adding to the student’s and teacher’s hardships.
But this headmistress from Tamil Nadu was done with going through all this, hence, she took it upon herself to give the children a better learning environment.
N Poonkodi, the headmistress of Panchayat Union Primary School in Karukakollai village of Denkanikottai Taluk, was fed up with the leaks and water accumulating inside the two classrooms whenever it rained.
Therefore, she not only used the Rs 1 lakh allocated by the government for the tiling of the floors and repair of the school, she even invested another Rs 37,000 from her pocket to paint the walls of the classrooms, reported The New Indian Express.
“I requested the then Chief Education Officer R Murugan to allot funds to repair the roof, and he allotted Rs 1 lakh. The funds were received following the order of the Krishnagiri Chief Judicial Magistrate in June to utilize the fines levied on tipper lorries for various violations,” headmistress Poonkodi said.
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Constructed in 2005-2006, the school that is about 105 km from the district headquarters has 20 students with Poonkodi as the only teacher. Every day she travels about 55 km to the school from Hosur.
After the makeover, the school now has a colorful and livelier façade with English and Tamil alphabet, multiplication tables, and portraits of prominent leaders painted on it. And it’s all because Poonkodi thought about the future and well-being of the kids rather than her savings.
Salute to you, madam!