Belthangady: 375 volunteers working as lamps of knowledge (Jnan-deep )in various Government primary schools in 9 districts such as Kodagu, uttara kannada and Gadag, under a school education programme devised by Dharmasthala Rural development project, are new removing the scarcity of rural teachers by filling up posts in rural schools of these 9 districts including Belgaum.

Educated young persons are trained by these volunteers under Dr. Veerendra Heggade’s directions to prepare them to continue education in the rural schools close to their homes. The volunteers work under a Headmaster, giving lectures and teaching lessons, and they also visit parents of the children to kindle awareness about helpful learning provided to the rural kids. The volunteers bring children to school and see that they do not absent from classes to work in fields.

They observe national events (say, Republic Day) and festivals (like Diwali) and awaken the hidden talents among children t  paint, to dance, to sing, or act on stage shows. They encourage quality education in association with school committee members.

These Jnana deep volunteers have a record of over 9000 children being re-admitted to rural schools in the previous years under ‘Nali-Kali’ project of Universal education.