The Government Higher Primary School in Lingadahalli, Koppal, has decided to take students on an airplane journey for this year's annual tour, prioritising safety and fulfilling the dreams of underprivileged students
Published Nov 28, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 28, 2024 | 9:00 AM
As many as 30 students from the government school are set-up to take up their maiden flight journey on 6 December. (supplied)
“Fasten your seatbelts, dreams are ready for take-off!”
On 6 December this year, 30 students from a local Government Higher Primary School in Lingadahalli in Koppala, will be boarding an airplane for the very first time, fulfilling their dreams of flying high above the clouds.
For many of them, the idea of traveling by air was once a far-off fantasy, but thanks to the combined efforts of their dedicated teachers, supportive villagers, the local gram panchayat, and generous industries, this dream is set to become a reality.
Among these students, many are the children of farmers and daily wage labourers, studying in Classes 6 and 7. This is only the second state-run school in Karnataka, after a government school in Belagavi, to organise an aeroplane trip for its students.
The government teachers, along with the panchayat and its members, extended financial support to help fulfill the students’ dreams. However, many expressed disappointments on the government not providing even a single rupee for the annual school trip.
In a remarkable move, the Government Higher Primary School (GHPS) in Lingadahalli in the Koppal district, has decided to take its students on an airplane journey for this year’s annual tour. This unique initiative fulfills the dreams of many underprivileged students who have long aspired to experience air travel.
With all tickets now booked, 30 students from the state-run school are set to fulfil their dreams by embarking on a flight journey from Vijayanagara district to Hyderabad.
GHPS’s in-charge assistant teacher Manjunath Pujar told South First: “Every year, our school organises an annual trip using buses. However, recent accidents involving students traveling in buses and auto rickshaws, including a tragic incident in Chamarajanagar where a student lost their life, deeply affected us.”
“We initially decided to cancel this year’s trip to avoid any risks, considering our responsibility as government employees. Since there’s no specific provision from the government for such tours, only general guidelines, we felt it was safer to skip the trip,” Pujar said.
He continued: “But later, we realised it would be unfair to deprive students of the annual tour due to isolated incidents. So, we convened a meeting of the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) to brainstorm alternatives.”
“Determined to avoid bus travel, we considered an airplane journey for the students. It was an exciting option that would not only change the mode of transport but also educate the children about air travel, which they had only read about in books.”
“When we proposed the idea to the SDMC, they responded positively, though concerns about expenses were raised,” Pujar added that SDMC members gave the nod to take students on an aeroplane.
In a heartwarming effort to make air travel and nearly one-week educational tour a reality for government school students, the government school subsidised the costs to ensure affordability.
Despite the average airfare exceeding ₹3,000 per person, students were charged just ₹2,500 for the entire trip, which also covered their plane tickets and other travel expenses.
This was made possible through concessions under the Union government’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme.
Assistant Teacher Pujar told South First: “Following the nod from the SDMC committee, we turned up at Jindal Airport to enquire about the flights and offers in ticket pricing for the government school students. The airport staff informed us that we can book up to 20 tickets at a concession rate under the Union government’s UDAN scheme.”
“The benefits of booking ticket under UDAN scheme are that the flight tariff will include only base price and taxes and other charges will be excluded,” Pujar highlighted that there are no separate schemes or discounts in air tariff for the government school students.
Pujar said: “We managed to book 20 tickets under the UDAN scheme, where the discounted price range was between ₹1,200 to ₹1,800. For the remaining 10 students, we could not book tickets at concession rates.”
“The air ticket for the remaining 10 students were ranged between₹2,800 to ₹3,200 for one way. The tickets for the school staff were booked up to ₹4,500. Apart from 30 students, 12 others including teachers and members of SDM will be part of this one-week-long tour.”
“The total ticket expenses rose to ₹1.3 lakh. The average ticket price was ₹3,090 per head. We are excited to take government school students at such an affordable price in an aeroplane,” elaborated Pujar.
He further noted: “Though the average ticket price for one-side air journey was ₹3,000, it would still be heavy for the government school students to bear the cost. Hence, we decided to charge only ₹2,500 for each student for the nearly one-week-long tour.”
In a remarkable display of community spirit and dedication, a group of teachers, local leaders, and villagers united to make the dream of schoolchildren flying for the first time a reality.
Despite facing a substantial financial challenge with the total cost of the tour shooting up to ₹3 lakh, the collective effort of the community and various organisations helped bridge the gap.
Six teachers from the school personally contributed ₹5,000 each, while members of the Bevinahalli Gram Panchayat and SDMC also pitched in with donations of up to ₹5,000 each, ensuring that financial constraints would not stand in the way of the students’ dream.
GHPS Principal KM Vishweshwaraiah told South First: “The total money collected from the students was ₹75,000, where the ticket price shot up to₹1.3 lakh. Hence, the school teachers decided to make some contribution financially.”
“The six teachers decided to contribute ₹5,000 each from their pockets. Apart from teachers, SDMC’s president and vice-president, Gram Panchayat’s members and others voluntarily extended financial help up to ₹5,000 each,” added the principal.
Claiming that they also raised funds via crowd funding, Vishweshwaraiah pointed out: “We managed to raise ₹1 lakh via crowd funding – from villagers to panchayat’s members and former members to teachers to donators – contributed immensely to make the children’s dream come true. People from three villages surrounding to our school came forward to help us.”
“Even small-scale industries operating around Lingadalli village came forward to extend financial help for the school students’ tour. These all decided to extend help because of students being taken in aeroplane for the first time. No other government schools have tried to do this in our district,” elaborated the principal.
He continued: “With all the help and crowd funding, we managed to rise around ₹2 lakh but fell short of ₹ 1 lakh. Then, we decided to approach Kirloskar Industry at Bevinahalli.”
“We also detailed them about the crowd funding. Then, the Kirloskar Industry have assured us of providing bus facility till the airport at free of cost and ₹50,000 financial help,” the principal added that industries also came forward to help the school.
Stating that Gram Panchayat also extended help, Vishweshwaraiah said: “We were in need of ₹50,000 more for this tour. Then Gram Panchayat’s PDO (Geeta Kumari G) came forward and assured us a financial help to certain extent. The PDO is bearing the flight charges of the five SC/ST students, which amounts to ₹15,000,” the principal added that the school is looking for donors for the remaining ₹ 35,000.
Detailing about the tour plan, Principal Vishweshwaraiah said: “We will be leaving to Hyderabad from Vijayanagara in flight on 6 December. We are taking students on plane only one way. We have booked minibus for two days at Hyderabad.”
“We have chalked out proper plan for this tour. As soon as we land at airport, students will be given education tour of the international airport for about an hour at Hyderabad. We will visit the historical places and museums in and around Hyderabad for two days,” added the principal.
He further said: “Then, we will head to Vijayapura, which is near to Hyderabad, in train. We have booked one whole sleeping compartment to ensure the safety of the students. We will spend a day in Vijayapura, where we will be visiting the heritage places and Gnanayoga Ashrama.”
“We will halt at Vijayapura and then next day, we will head to Almatti Dam (Lal Bahadur Shastri Water Reservoir). We will be visiting the theme park and gardens at Lal Bahadur Shastri Water Reservoir. We have train to Koppal at 3pm. We are expected to return on 11 December,” elaborated Vishweshwaraiah.
It is for the very first time that a total of 30 students studying in the government school are set to take up the flight journey as a part of their annual school trip.
This government school has over 100 students, studying between Class 1 and Class 7. Among these students, the school has decided to take only students of Class 5,6 and 7 for this tour.
Assistant teacher Pujar said: “We choose 30 students from Class 5,6 and 7. We did not compel any parents to mandatorily send their children for the tour.”
“Few parents decided not to send their children, citing financial constraints. We tried to convince them that over half of the tour cost is being paid by donors. Few changed their minds and others did not. We could not force them, considering their financial difficulties,” added Pujar.
GHPS’s Class 7 student Prajwal, whose parents are daily wage labourers, told South First: “”I have never been on a flight before. Until now, I’ve only travelled in tractors, goods vehicles, auto-rickshaws, and buses. I haven’t even been on a train yet, and now I’m about to take my first journey on a flight. I’m really excited about this tour.”
“Convincing my parents was a herculean task. I started doing extra work and focusing more on my studies at home every day. When I finally asked for permission, they responded positively and agreed to let me go on this tour,” Prajwal claimed that his dream was to become an IPS officer in the future.
Vanaja, who is studying in Class 7, told South First: “”I’m thrilled about traveling on an airplane. My teachers are turning my dream into reality. I haven’t even travelled on a train yet, but now I’m getting the chance to fly.”
“I’m so excited about this school tour. I told my parents, ‘Even if you can’t go, at least let me go on this trip,’ and they happily agreed. I never imagined I would get the opportunity to fly, but thanks to my teachers, it’s happening,” Vanaja said. She wants to become a teacher in the future.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
