Teacher, Cook And Classes Continue Daily For Lone Fourth-Grader
Key Points:
- Varsha Kumari is the only student enrolled at Jara’s primary school in Bokaro
- School once had over 10 students in 2015 before enrolment dwindled
- Education department spends Rs 40,000-50,000 monthly to run school for her
BOKARO – A government school in the Kasmar block of Bokaro district presents an unusual picture of the education system, with just a single student attending classes. The school opens daily, a teacher comes in to teach, and a mid-day meal is prepared, all for one child.
The case pertains to the Nav Prathmik Vidyalaya in Jara, located under the Tangtona panchayat of Kasmar block. Only one student, Varsha Kumari, is currently enrolled in the fourth grade at the school.
In 2015, the school had more than 10 children studying there. However, students gradually shifted to private schools over the years, leaving Varsha as the sole child still enrolled.
Varsha attends the school every day, and a teacher instructs her individually in the classroom. Meanwhile, the school cook prepares the mid-day meal exclusively for her each day.
According to her mother, Munni Devi, other children in the locality have moved to private schools, but her daughter continues to study at the government institution. She said her daughter performs well academically and that she wants her education to continue uninterrupted.
However, the situation raises a pressing question over how long an entire school can keep functioning for the sake of a single student. On the other hand, assistant teacher Dulali Devi, posted at the school, said the department has been repeatedly informed about the single-student enrolment through written communication.
“Whenever the child comes, she is taught,” Devi said. She added that with such low student strength, the teacher herself would prefer the school be merged with a nearby institution for smoother operations.
Besides the teacher’s salary, expenses include the cook’s honorarium, the mid-day meal and the school’s maintenance costs. Together, these are estimated to cost around Rs 40,000 to 50,000 every month for the education of this one student.
Under education department norms, schools with low student numbers can be tagged or merged with a nearby institution. This raises the question of why the Jara school has not yet been tagged with another institution, despite having just one student for a prolonged period.
While the state government has been pushing to increase enrolment in government schools and improve the overall education system, the situation at this Bokaro school raises several questions in that regard. It remains to be seen what steps the education department takes in the matter and whether any decision is taken regarding the school’s future operations.
Dhanbad and neighbouring districts in the Kolhan and North Chotanagpur regions have also witnessed declining enrolment in several government primary schools, as families increasingly opt for private education. Similar concerns over dwindling student strength have surfaced at other institutions in the past, including cases involving alternative teaching methods, residential school outcomes, and broader debates over tribal education policy in the state.
