No government bus operate on the route as the hillock is steep and difficult to navigate.
:
After a long wait, the Government High School in Nayakaneri, a village atop Jawadhu hills near Ambur town, will be upgraded to the higher secondary level soon.
As per the Budget 2025-26 presented by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Friday, 14 high schools located in remote areas, including Pappireddipatti village (Dharmapuri), Thalavadi village (Erode), Chinna Salem, Kalvarayan Hills (Kallakuruchi), and Jawadhu Hills, will be upgraded.
“Students have to travel 18 km to Devalapuram village, located at the foothills, for higher classes. Upgradation of the high school will ensure that the students complete their schooling in the hills,” said V. Selvi, a parent.
Spanning three acres, the 1963-built school in Nayakaneri village panchayat — comprising Nayakaneri, Kamanur Thattu, and Panakatteri hamlets with around 3,500 persons in nine wards — has 280 students, including 146 girls.
Students are from at least 10 hamlets, including Naduvur, Melulur and Pudueriyur,in the hillock. Most of them belong to Scheduled Tribes (ST).
“The upgrade will prevent dropouts, especially among girls, as students will be motivated to continue their studies. We re-sent the request to the School Education Department after a report sought by the then Tirupattur Collector K. Tharpagaraj, a few months ago,” said K. Arunpandi, headmaster in-charge.
At present, the school has six classrooms with 11 teachers. Despite its remoteness, the school was able to achieve over 90 per cent pass percentage in Class X since it was upgraded to the high school level in 2008. Every year, around 100 Class X students pass out from the school.
At present, a private mini-bus operate only two trips, at 6.30 a.m. and 8 p.m., between Nayakaneri and Ambur town every day. No government bus operate on the route as the hillock is steep and difficult to navigate.
High school students are forced to go to Nayakaneri to board the crowded mini-bus. They, however, choose to walk down the hill to reach the government schools in the plains.
Parents and residents mobilised ₹2 lakh as ‘caution deposit’ and paid it to the School Education Department for the project.
Adequate classrooms, laboratories, playgrounds, along with efforts to increase enrolment are part of the plan.
“Upgradation of Nayakaneri school has been a long-standing demand of residents. A proposal was also sent in this regard. The school will soon be upgraded,” said an education official.
Published – March 17, 2025 12:30 am IST
