Leh: How a government school is helping a small village win big battle | Education News,The Indian Express
According to local residents, the village’s fortune is tied to that of the school. Over the past few years, they said, most parents of school going children in the village of about 500 people had shifted to Leh, preferring private schools.
ON MARCH 7, the Government Middle School in Taru village, about 25 km from Leh city, opened its doors after three years to welcome 21 students. It was the first step back to life — for the school and the village.
“In 2019, when the school was on the verge of closing, having enrolled just five students, we organised several meetings, calling parents, the sarpanch and the local youth association. We wanted to tell the parents to not take their children away to private schools. But instead of parents, the grandparents turned up. The parents had already moved to Leh city,” said Sonam Chorol, the school principal.
According to local residents, the village’s fortune is tied to that of the school. Over the past few years, they said, most parents of school going children in the village of about 500 people had shifted to Leh, preferring private schools. As a result, the four teachers at the local school were shifted to other government schools and offices around Leh.
“The village was left with mostly grandparents. There was a government primary school, which was shut down over 15 years ago. The middle school was established in 1955, and had the highest enrollment in 1995 of 60-65 students,” said Tsering Angdus, a senior teacher who was posted in this school from 1995-98.
The turning point came this year when local youths joined hands with the newly established University of Ladakh at Taru Thang, near the village.
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