From four students to 40 students ZPHS Chakunta
KARIMNAGAR, JUNE 19, 2025: When the government schools are facing a scarcity of students, a headmaster from Zilla Parishad High School, Chakunta, Choppadandi mandal, is crusading to increase admissions into the government schools by enhancing infrastructure, focusing on quality education and engaging with the community.
Incidentally, the ZPHS Chakunta School had attained a dubious distinction with poor enrolment following its proximity to Karimnagar town, which is 15 kilometres away and also the proliferation of private schools in Choppadandi mandal. There were incidents involving four students and eight teachers working in the school. However, this headmaster, Tirumal, who joined the school, had taken several measures to increase enrollment in the school.
It may be recalled that Mr Tirumal had won accolades when he worked as the HM of Government High School, Dhangarwadi, Karimnagar and ZPHS Edulaguttapalli in Jagtial district, by transforming the schools on par with the corporate educational institutions with the support of alumni of the respective schools and other philanthropists.
Accordingly, after the HM Tirumal joined the ZPHS Chakunta in 2024 he was shocked to see the strength of only four students and eight teachers. Â Moved over the plight of the government school, he launched a rigorous campaign to increase the enrollment in the school by consulting the parents, village elders and other politicians to join their children in the government school.
When the ZPHS, which was in a dilapidated condition, the Headmaster took the initiative for its restoration with the support of the philanthropists. Â He had ensured that the school was fully equipped with all necessary infrastructure, including dual desks, a library, a good ambience, toilets and other facilities for the students.
The headmaster tapped all the sources for the development of the school. He ensured that the Goddess Saraswathi matha and Gautam Buddha idols and gopuram was installed with the support of Harsha Vardhan Reddy. Retired Deputy General Manager BHEL has donated Rs 25,000 for the purchase of five bicycles for the girl students.
Philanthropist from Hyderabad G T Rao, has donated computers, chairs & tables, a TV, a printer & photo copy machine, a projector head headphones and complete computer lab equipment worth Rs 6 lakhs. An alumnus of the school, Gadde Tirumala Venkateshwarlu, donated Rs 40,000 for the purchase of white school uniforms for primary and high school students.
Similarly, retired Joint Collector Prabhaker Reddy, an alumnus of the schools, donated Rs 20,000 for the white wash of the school.  Gankidi Raji Reddy, former CM’s chief advisor AP, also alumnus of the school donated Rs 25,0000. Gudipati Karunakar Reddy, NRI from USA, donated Rs one lakh for rena\ovation of computers lab, false ceiling, plastering, wiring doors, windows etc.
Gopu Narender Reddy, an alumnus of the school, had donated Rs 6 lakhs for the complete transformation of school with renovation, plastering, electrification, doors and windows and also flooring.
Along with them, Kankanala Srinivas Reddy, Krishna Reddy, Narender Reddy, ex-MPTC, Bhupal Reddy, Ggudipati Ramana Reddy, Gankidi Niranjan Reddy, Gankidi Manohar Reddy, Kankanala Prabhaker Reddy, all SHG members, the school Teachers contributed and strived for the development of the school. Gaddey Srinivas, a software engineer, donated Rs 70,000 for the purchase of a sound system and several others, including his classmates, and others were supporting the strengthening of government schools.
Now the students’ enrollment has increased to 40 during this academic year, and the teachers are all measures to increase enrolment. The headmaster said that he aims to ensure that the school is fully equipped with infrastructure and an adequate number of students. He also said that the village sarpanch, who had earlier joined his daughter in a private school, had admitted her in the ZPHS Chakunta to instill confidence among the villagers.
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