Mangaluru: You could easily mistake this 108-year-old higher primary school in Mittur, Bantwal taluk, for a private school. The facilities and ambience at this Kannada-medium school are on a par with many private schools.

Interestingly, the once-barren land in the school, spread over 4.5 acres, has been converted into a farm which yields produce worth Rs 3-4 lakh annually. It’s all thanks to the initiative of the school SDMC, teachers and students.

Across the vast land, with help of the SDMC and localities, around 650 areca saplings were planted last year. Around 50 coconut trees give a good yield. It also has a plantain plantation, medicinal plants and produces a variety of vegetables.

“We produce various types of vegetables and fruits in our garden. We use it for the mid-day meal and the excess is sold,” said headmaster Mohan PM. The vegetables include brinjal, bottlegourd, spinach, coriander, cucumber, ridge gourd besides fruits like banana and papaya.

The school currently has 112 students and eight staff members. Each and every student is responsible for cleanliness. Every day, a class is assigned to keep the premises clean. They also work in vegetable gardens and maintain them.

Explaining the transformation of the school, which has alumni across the world, Mohan said SDMC president Adam Mittur took the initiative to convert the school by funding it himself.

Over time, support flowed in from locals and others. The Indian Railways has funded a flush wash room for girls, rainwater harvesting and waste segregation unit.

Mohan said the noon news is broadcast on TV every day and projectors are used for teaching. The school also has a Reading Corner, a library with over 2,000 books.

The school avails of all government facilities including free books, shoes, uniforms, scholarships, milk under Ksheera Bhagya, midday meal scheme, health checkups, among others. It has also started an endowment fund and the interest accrued is used to give scholarship to girls.

To increase enrolment, the school authorities and SDMC decided to conduct a drive across villages, asking parents to send their kids to the government school instead of English-medium schools.

School teachers also pay for the additional staff. “Along with monetary contributions from the SDMC and donors, permanent staff contribute some money from their salary. We want to save this school,” said another teacher. The school has won some of government awards.