Vittal : The Madakatte Aided Higher Primary School near Kolnadu in Vittal is on the verge of closure to shortage of teachers and lack of basic facilities.

Forty-four students are pursuing studies from Class 1 to 8. The school has one head master and four guest teachers. One of the guest teachers is paid by the head teacher M Ishwar Bhat. Another teacher is paid by SDMC and Odiyoor Sri Gurudeva Grama Vikasa pays for another and yet another is paid by raising funds from the public.

The school was started with 12 children in 1908 and was officially recognised in 1933. “The school had six teachers and more than 330 children. With the retirement of the teachers, no new recruitment was made. As a result, the number of students enrolling to the school also declined. However, the school authorities, with the help of the public, ensured that the children are not denied education by recruiting honorary teachers,” retired head master Shankaranarayana Bhat said.

Head master M Ishwar Bhat will retire on July 31. As there is no recruitment, the school will have only guest teachers.

SDMC president K Nazeer said, “According to the government rules, aided schools should have one teacher for 40 children. As the school has 44 children, the school should have two teachers. How can we run the school with guest teachers? The SDMC is making all efforts to retain the school.”

Nazeer said that the SDMC has submitted a memorandum to District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai, Zilla and Taluk Panchayat members to take measures to appoint teachers to the school. The minister has told the DDPI to look into the matter, he added.