Mangaluru: Quality teaching, committed staff and expanded financial and institutional support under the PM SHRI scheme have helped the Govt Higher Primary School at Nalyapadavu in Shakthinagar record a sharp rise in admissions in the current academic year, with about 201 new students joining the campus. The school’s total strength has increased to 823 students, covering LKG through class 8.A significant portion of the new intake reflects shifting parental preferences in the city’s outskirts, with nearly 70 of the 201 admissions reported to have come from private schools. Better educational outcomes and improved facilities are learnt to be the key reasons for moving their children to the govt institution.The school was upgraded as a PM SHRI school in the 2022-23 academic year. In the previous year, the institution had 654 students. This year’s strength includes 434 boys and 389 girls. The school has registered a 25.8% rise in admissions this academic year. The campus also reported 28 children with special needs (CWSN) students, including 22 boys and six girls. Of these, 16 CWSN students including 12 boys sought admission this year.Dakshayini, in-charge headmistress, attributed the sustained increase to coordinated work by alumni, teachers and local residents over several years. She said that in 2016-17, the school had only about 180 students in classes I to VIII, prompting community-led efforts to expand access and improve offerings. “We added kindergarten, and later the school turned bilingual. From then on, the numbers started increasing and the highest support was received when the school was announced as PM SHRI, about three years ago,” she said.Dakshayini said the jump in enrolment has created pressure on infrastructure and staffing, with demand exceeding current capacity. Proposals to add classrooms were prepared, and construction of five additional classrooms is under way with support drawn from multiple sources, including CSR and other funds. The new rooms are expected to be completed by Sept.The school has 18 teachers, supplemented by honorary staff engaged through donor funding. Under the PM SHRI framework, the school can also utilise specialised teachers for co-curricular activities such as music and karate, strengthening overall student engagement. Facilities also include a computer laboratory, science laboratory, sports amenities and smart classrooms, alongside a continued focus on academic performance.Dakshina Kannada deputy director of public instruction (DDPI) GS Shashidhar said 20 schools in the district operate under the PM SHRI scheme, and most have reported increased admissions this year. He said the Nalyapadavu government school stands out for registering more than 200 admissions in a single academic year.Healthy indicatorPrevious year enrollment: 654Current year enrollment: 823New admissions: 201Enrollment growth: 25.8%CWSN students: 28
