Second Grade Teacher changes the perception of education in villagers

It is unbelievable to know a Second Grade Teacher(SGT) transformed a Single Teacher School(Yekopadhya School), as ideal one for entire state by enhancing student's strength from 3 to 104 and teachers from 1 to 4.

If we want to know this interesting story we should go to Pittigunta village of Kasinayinamandal in Kadapa district. Interestingly there are 8 private busses from different English Medium Schools coming to Pittagunta for picking up the children from Porumamilla, Kalasapadu, Kasinayinamandals now they were all stopped as the parents sending their children to STS instead of sending them to private convents.

A 45 years old Ganugapenta Ramana Reddy is a resident of Chennareddypalle village of Kalasapadu mandal. "I never dreamt parents respond in a such manner as the people giving top priority in sending their children to government school instead of private convent," says Ramana Reddy.

G Ramana Reddy was appointed as SGT for Pittigunta Yekopadhya Primary School located in one kilometer distance of his native village Chenna Reddy palle of Kalasapadu mandal in 2016. At the time of his joining total of the school was of just 3 students from 1st to 5th classes. School has been running in a small shed in the village. "In the beginning, I feel bored and embarrassing for sitting in the school. After one week I began to wander the houses of parents appealing them to send their children to the school in the village. In the initial days they ignored my proposal. Later, they responded positively and now the school strength is 104," he said.

In the earlier I used to send my daughter to 'Holy Rossery English Medium School' located in Porumamilla town. After I observed the educational standards and adoption of remarkable teaching techniques by STS in the village, I joined my daughter for 5th standard here," says P Venugopala Reddy of Pittigunta village told.

It is surprise to know when entire country closed all kind of educational institutions during first wave of COVID-19, Pittigunta STS was run up to 10th May 2020 with the initiation of SGT G Ramana Reddy run the school with the help of volunteers. Government and several organizations felicitated him with Best Teacher Award.

After observing remarkable development in Pittigunta STS, government deployed 4 teachers in 2020. Villagers donated one paper material, Xerox machine, for printing question papers.

"I always believe that there was no shortcut to hard work," says Ramana Reddy.