Learning gives creativity
Creativity leads to thinking
Thinking provides knowledge
Knowledge makes you great
Dr. A.P.J Abdul KalamEx-President of India
1.Background
Enmakaje village, a remarkably beautiful place profuse with fascinating ranges of coconut, arecanut, cashew and banana plantation, along with hills and valleys rich in natural vegetation, is in Kasaragod district, located at the border of Kerala, close to the Karnataka State. Perla, the heart of this village, combines nature’s bounty, with all the hustle and bustle of a wealthy city and is a famous trade centre. True, some 75-80 years ago, this remote area like Perla was lacking in the fundamental facilities such as nourishment, apparel, recreation, amusement etc., Late Parthaje Venkatramana Bhat believed that the one and only one panacea to deveop Perla and its suburbs, was to enlighten people through education. To materialize this vision, he founded a Primary School in 1925,with the best endeavour of the distinguished citizens of this village like Late Kuntikana Subraya Bhat,Tadegallu Late Achutha Bhat, Late Ballambettu Venkatesha Pai & others. Along with this school he established Shree Sathyanarayana Mandir and installed a holy idol of Lord Sathyanarayana carved out of marble so as to inculcate devotion, religious fervour and ethical values amongst the learners.
Year by year not only did the popularity of this school enhance but the number of pupils incredibly increased too and it was upgraded as Upper Primary and finally to High School from 1945. Having started with only 25 students, now this institute is imparting education to more than a thousand pupils. Scores of students of this school are in high positions in society and are spread all over the world. Some of them have entered government service. Many hold very good jobs in foreign countries. Now this has emerged as a pioneering educational institute for nurturing rural talents.
2.The founder and his Vision………….
This educational society is undoubtedly the fulfillment of the profound vision of “a teacher’s teacher” Late Sri Parthaje Venkatramana Bhat. He came, he persevered, he vanquished………. Moreover, he left behind a rich legacy that has benefited a lot of pupils of this locality. He was honoured as “Perla Gandhi” to whom no obstacle was insurmountable – a legend who inspires us even today! The scrupulous educationist, philanthropist and architect of modern Perla, was certainly the Embodiment of Humanity, Harbinger of Equality and the Icon of Renunciation. He lit small lamp in 1925 in this remote village and it has helped to light up millions of lives. As a result of his yeoman service to the community, now this school is one among the top schools in Kerala state.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix’d in him,
That the Nature might stand up And say to the entire world,
“ This was a man!”
3.The present panorama
After the demise of Sri P Venkatramana Bhat, the establishment is being run by the Vidyaranya Educational Society (VES). At present it is in progress under the presidentship of Sri B. G. Rama Bhat, a renowned agriculturist and a social worker. of VES. Sri Srikrishna Vishwamithra,son of Late Venkatramana Bhat, a veteran agriculturist, is the Manager and he is taking all the initiative and efforts tirelessly for the betterment of the whole institution. Several respectable and responsible citizens like Dr. P.V.S Mithra, Sri Sarpamale Bala Subrahmanya Bhat, and others are its members. Moreover enthusiastic young and energetic personalities like Dr. Sripathi Kajampady; Sri Jagath Kumar Molakkalu etc. are the backbone of this Association.
This school complex is located amid quiet and green environs, which provide the necessary conducive atmosphere for learning. By providing value-based education, it equips the learners to face academic and social challenges and instills self-esteem, confidence and self-reliance. The school has a team of well-qualified, dedicated teachers who are determined to improve and bring out the best in every student. A Library facility is there on all subjects with encyclopedia, rare reference books, science journals etc. The institute has been encouraging extra curricular activities through Science Club, NCC, Scouts, Sports and Games etc. It has also been providing mid-day meals for primary students over the years.
You are aware of the fact that the call for English Medium of education is echoing significantly in India to face the International challenges. Realizing the importance of English in day to day transactions, we entered into the realm of English Medium classes in 1st , 2nd , 5th 6th , 8th and 9th standards from this academic year 2008-09 along with Pre-primary classes. It’s an education absolutely without any donation and only reasonable fees are being collected in accordance with the Govt. norms. By this way the children of this remote area get a marvelous opportunity to learn the “language of opportunity” in this new millennium. It is with great pleasure we inform you that our S.S.L.C results have gone from strength to strength in the last seven years. In the last academic year( 2007-08) it was up to 92% and all the failed candidates passed in the Save A Year(SAY) examination during the month of June’08.
4.Project-IT @ School
Whether one is prepared for it or not, e-education is the buzz word of the present and future generations, who have to gear themselves up to the challenges of the IT revolution, which is taking the information world to dizzy heights. Today, computer is a fruitful tool in education. With lively animations, illustrations and rich audio-visual presentation, it transforms studying into meaningful learning. It was under these circumstances that the Government of Kerala has decided to make Information Technology (IT) as a subject of study at the High School level. Thus IT has been a compulsory subject for S.S.L.C since March 2005. But the Government does not provide the management schools with any kind of financial aid. Therefore, with the generous assistance of the old students, Management committee, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the school staff members; we have already installed 18 computers with their accessories along with a 5 KVA generator. But there is a need for more funds for the infrastructure, because for the time being we have converted our science laboratory and the library rooms as two separate IT laboratories. We have to construct a new building for the IT units so that we shall restore the science lab and the library in their original rooms.
5.Our Mission ………
(i) Library development programme
Reading serves for delight, for ornament, for ability __ Francis Bacon.
Happy is the man who acquires the habit of reading when he is young. He has secured a life-long source of pleasure, instruction and inspiration. So long as he has his beloved books , he will never feel lonely. He is the possessor of wealth more precious than gold. Ruskin calls books, “Kings’ Treasures”-treasuries filled, not with gold, silver and precious stones, but with riches much more valuable than these-knowledge, noble thoughts and high ideals. Books are the most faithful friends. Our friend may change, or die; but our books are always patiently waiting to talk to us.
To develop the reading habits among the children, the libraries are the “creative outlets” of knowledge. A library is said to be common man’s university.
As Bacon rightly said, “ Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man, and writing an exact man”, reading widen our outlook of wisdom. By this way the library is a fountain of knowledge.
It is true that the elder students are our pillars of strength. In order to fulfill our dream of constructing a well-equipped library, Dr. Ballambettu Subrahmanya Bhat M.D. of U.S.A responded with great zest and zeal and contributed a precious sum of Rs. 14,50,000/-(Rupees fourteen lakhs and fifty thousands) for the infrastructure of the library including furniture, computer etc. The construction work was completed and a commemorative function was organized to inaugurate the newly built Library on Wednesday the 2nd January 2008 with crowning glory. One thousand most tender thanks for his towering endowment.“ Gratitude is the heart’s memory”. Any words of gratitude cannot be equivalent for his enormous contribution towards his native school. We wish him an unceasing gratitude with highest respect. We pray Lord Sathyanarayana to shower all his choicest blessings upon him and his family.
Saluting for the great social concern of Dr. Bhat, we would like to throw light on the present modernized education system. In order to square ourselves with the diverging vistas of this dynamic world, we are compelled to equip our library with all the best reference books. “Laws die but books never”. To fulfill this aim we have already conducted several approaches to collect the good old books, furniture, cup-boards etc. from the general public.
But we are unable to gather sufficient books to achieve our intention. “A Book is like a garden carried in the pocket”. A well-equipped library plays a prominent role in spreading knowledge and culture.
Bacon has rightly said that some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested. Thus to purchase the book that have to be chewed and digested, we are in need of a “noteworthy fund”.
A bank may not function nicely without a manager; a school won’t educate children enthusiastically without a Headmaster. Likewise no one can maintain a library without a genuine librarian. There is no provision for a librarian for high school classes. Payment should be done by some other means. A sum total is required for this purpose also.
(ii) Mode of Conveyance.
“Past is great with future”
“The best prophet of the future is the past”
Can you recall your any past experiences of school life? The picture of the school may bring memories flooding back like a heavy tide. The time when you, with your brothers, sisters and friends, flitted like butterflies around the village, along the path to the riverbank, towards the peak of the Blue Mountains, enjoying the wonderful sight with slopping hills, relishing the meadows filled with lush green trees and shrubs, feasting on the gurgling waterfalls and colourful flowers, walking by the sprawling paddy fields all around. You might have captivated by the sweetness and serenity of nature with a joyous mystery in roaming about in the woodland. You might have deeply magnetized when the rain lashed continuously for hours together and you would welcome a rainy day in the midst of scorching summer. You might have enjoyed when you drenched in the first shower of the drizzle.
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
___ from “ The Daffodils” by William Wordsworth.
If we think of the present, undoubtedly science has changed human life on earth beyond all imagination. It is a faithful servant of man. It serves us in all walks of life. As you know , science has revolutionized the means of conveyance and the travel has become very comfortable. The mode of conveyance has been changed from ‘walk’ to bicycle; from bicycle to geared two wheelers; from two wheelers to four wheelers; from four wheelers to six wheelers and so on. Trains roar through desert as well as jungle and aeroplanes fly across thousands of kilometers in an hour. You can take your breakfast in Kashmir and lunch at London and take dinner in New York……………
The Life is better for us than it was for our forefathers. Resulting that we do not like to do any manual work. Moreover, parents of our school do not like their children to be walked over the hills and valleys and from far away places. In olden days people lived adventurously. Now-a-days many people in this world expect to have things “ready-made” for them and so the spirit of adventure has gone out of our life.
“Adapt or be crushed”. As the circumstances change day by day, we are bound to adapt ourselves to the changing scenario of this modern world. To accomplish the immediate need of the parents as well as their beloved children, we purchased an old bus worth around rupees one and half lakhs on May 2005. This repaired and repainted bus has been the mode of conveyance for the past two years, from the remote areas like Poovanadka, Yelkana, Nalka etc. Through this pick up and drop facility, the students’ strength has been increased rapidly. They enjoyed this facility very much by restricting themselves from the thirst of adventure and suppressing their urge to strive, seek and find.
Rupees 1,65,000/- has been utilized for the purchase and repair work of the Bus. For the maintenance of this school bus we need approximately Rs. 16,000/- to diesel, salary for the driver and for the other recurring expenses per month. We get a monthly collection at around Rs. 14,000/- from the beneficiaries. Unfortunately most of the students are from the poor family background and find it difficult to pay the required fees. Furthermore as this is an old bus, it’s very troublesome for us to maintain it. Hence there is an immediate requisition for an instantaneous capital to purchase a new bus and for its proper safekeeping.
(iii) New School Buildings-unforeseen occurrence.
“Pre-KER (Kerala Educational Rules) building should be demolished within the 2009 April”- we received a cut-throat command from the department of education last year. Most of our school buildings were constructed before KER was implemented in Kerala. Under a cloud we are circumscribed to obey the orders of the department. The state private school managers’ union challenged the order in High Court, but the struggles were in vain. Hence we are being forced to crush out the old buildings on or before April 2009, even though they are fit as fiddle and to construct a new building with a minimum of ten classrooms. A massive amount is highly essential to overcome this bolt from the blue.
(iv) Auditorium
At present we are using the hall of Shree Sathya Narayana Mandir as our auditorium. But it is not spacious enough to accommodate all the children of Lower Primary, Upper Primary and High School together. Besides, we have to uphold the sanctity of the Mandir. Hence we are compelled to construct an extensive auditorium for the purpose.
“ Virtue is the strong stem of man’s nature”
Let Zest and Zeal be your pulse and feel.
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