This Bihar school runs only to teach one student

Government schools in the country often face problems like the improper implementation of mid-day meal and poor education. But a school in Bihar's Gaya is setting an example for all the good reasons. The school that functions daily has two teachers and a cook to prepare midday meals for just a single student.

Gaya (Bihar): Bihar which is often seen as a backward state in terms of education and development in India, is now setting an example for all good reasons.

A government primary school in Bihar's Gaya has 1:1 student-teacher ratio which you will not find anywhere in the country.

The primary school which functions to teach only one student is located in Mansabigha village under Khijarsarai block about 170 km from Patna.

Jahnavi Kumari, a 7-year-old girl of studying in class 1, who belongs to a poor family, comes all alone to attend the school daily. Two teachers also come to school to impart her proper education.

Jahnavi also gets mid-day meal for which a cook prepares food for her under the government scheme.

According to the school administration, there are nine students who admitted to the school but Jahnavi is the only student who attends classes regularly.

This school was built in 1975 and has all the necessary facilities including four classrooms, a cooking place, and toilets, but villagers often choose to admit their wards to private schools instead of sending them to the government-run schools.

Priyanka Kumari, one of the teachers, said that parents of other enrolled students were requested to send their children to school daily, but are not interested to send them to private schools.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Kumari said that they are really impressed with Jahnavi's passion for studies and are trying to devote their full energy to impart her proper education.

Sanjay Kumar, another teacher said that both him and Kumari regularly come to school and teach Jahnavi. "We want more students to attend school daily," he said.

Unaware of the situation, Bihar Education Minister told ETV Bharat, "As I came to know about the bad situation of the school through ETV Bharat, I will ask concerned officers to interfere in the issue and take the appropriate action to increase the number of students in the school."

ETV Bharat reached out to District Education Officer Mohammad Mustafa Hussain Ansari and asked him about his take on the situation of the school. He said that the two teachers of the school have been instructed to go to the village to motivate children to attend the school.

Along with this, he said, "I will appeal to nearby schools that the children who are near to the village should be shifted here so that this school can also be run properly."

The villagers say that earlier student used to attend the school but the former Principle did not provide quality education, due to which students shifted from here to private school.