Karnataka's Dharwad district, which is known as Vidya Kashi, lacks transportation facilities for school children. Children from villages have to walk around three km to get hold of a bus or other transportation modes to reach their schools. There are instances of a few girl students quitting education citing the same reason.
Villages like Chandargi, Madakikoppa, Lingankoppa, Dopenahatti and others have such problems. Around 40 school students studying in high school and college have to walk every day. All these villages are in Alnavar taluk. The occupation of the residents here is agriculture and dairy. Every village has more than 50 families.
Manjual Marihal, a resident of Chandragiri village, said that the majority of the girls in villages have stopped pursuing their studies after primary school. Parents also fear sending their children to school worrying about their safety. Luckily, they have a primary school in the village. "We students and others have to walk three km to get hold of the bus. We all walk to Prabhu Nagar Honnapur, only from there do we get ample vehicles. Memorandums have been given to the bus depot authorities and elected representatives but nothing has been done so far. The representatives only show off and on-ground, nobody is interested in providing the facilities. We don't have a tar road during rains, the problem doubles and we are facing this for many years now," she added.
Social Activist Shreeshailgouda Kamtar stated that he had visited the villages two years back and approached the education officers, tahasildar and others but heard only false assurances. "The education department conducts hundreds of programmes to encourage school dropouts but it is neglecting to provide facilities," he added.
Basalingappa Neralkeri, Project Coordinator from BDSSS NGO, said that they are motivating students to attend the school and also assuring all possible support from the NGO. North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) recently said that the women and child protection unit officers have approached them in this regard and soon, they will do their best to facilitate the students.
