Ranchi: In the heart of the city, where most schools begin their mornings with the familiar chorus of children reciting lessons and playground chatter, Rajkiyakrit Prathamik Vidyalaya in Tharpakhna presents a starkly different picture.At first glance, the govt primary school appears almost abandoned. Knee-high bushes crowd the courtyard, a man idles on the verandah, and inside one classroom, two children sit quietly with their books. For now, they are the school’s only regular students.It was not always like this. Teachers said the school had around 20 students two-and-a-half years ago. Today, only Preeti Kumari of Class IV and Arjun Kumar of Class I attend regularly, taught together in the same classroom by assistant teacher Acharya Binita Kumari, who joined the school on June 19.“As our school has classes from KG to Class V, students shift to other schools after Class V. When they moved, their younger siblings also moved out for convenience. When I joined around two-and-a-half years ago, there was a lively environment with around 20 students enrolled,” said Sunny Dadel, school’s principal in-charge.The school is currently run by two staffers — Dadel and Binita. Dadel said he is also occupied with the ongoing SIR-related work, attending to voters who come to the school premises. Binita, meanwhile, teaches both children environmental science, mathematics, English and Hindi.“As I recently joined the school, I am not much aware of the past records. But Preeti and Arjun are my first students. I am diligently imparting lessons to them. Both are very sharp,” Binita said.The classroom reflects the institution’s struggle. The roof is damaged, bushes and climbers creep in through a window, and books kept on shelves have been eaten into by termites. Yet, lessons continue.Preeti, who has studied in the school since KG, dreams of becoming a doctor. She remembers a time when the classroom was less silent. “When I first joined, I had many friends, but they gradually left. Sometimes it feels lonely because there are only two of us now. But I focus on my studies, and with no other students around, I get to learn without distractions,” she said.Ranchi district superintendent of education Badal Raj said the school’s low attendance is linked to the presence of several schools, including English-medium institutions, in and around Tharpakhna.“The school has five enrolled students, and two are coming regularly. It is our responsibility to retain them till Class V,” Raj said.He added that the department is not considering merging the school with another institution despite the poor enrolment, partly because the campus faces encroachment threats.“After learning about the situation, we have decided to develop the school as a circle resource centre — a nodal school for nearby schools — with the aim of improving its enrolment,” Raj said.For now, in a city neighbourhood crowded with schools, Rajkiyakrit Prathamik Vidyalaya survives on the voices of two children — and the hope that more will return.
