Giridhar K M, MR Nobel Primary English School, Kamalapura Village, Periyapatna
“Education is all about leading a life filled with knowledge, strength, and hope. If we aim for these values, it becomes easier to reach our goals,” says Giridhar K M, the visionary school leader of MR Nobel Primary English School, a small institution in Mysore.
He goes on to say, “Deciding to start a school wasn’t easy. We managed to do it because of our courage and commitment. Many assume that our institution is financially robust and set to expand greatly, but that’s a misconception.”
Having dedicated 13 years of his life as an assistant teacher across various private schools, Giridhar’s passion for education never waned. Though he once tutored 5th graders, his ultimate dream was to establish a school. While this aspiration was clear, it required considerable financial planning. Nonetheless, in 2019, Giridhar brought his vision to life by opening MR Nobel Primary English School in Kamalapura Village, initially welcoming students to its LKG and UKG classes. Starting with only 30 students in the first few months, Giridhar often wondered if he had made the right decision.
But every journey has its ups and downs. Giridhar’s story shows the major impact teachers can have, one student at a time.
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Starting a school with hope and belief
In the world of business, Giridhar believes, profit and loss dictate the tides. “I believe running a school is about hope and strong belief,” he assures. This conviction was not misplaced, as in just one month, his school witnessed an upsurge in admissions, reaching over 70 students. This made him believe even more that his school could do well, even in a village. So, he decided to grow his school, transforming it into an English medium school for grades 1 through 5.
However, things got tough when COVID-19 came the next year. The number of students dropped to only 30. It was a hard time, and Giridhar wondered if his school would survive.
When 2020-21 ended, the government’s green light to reopen schools brought a glimmer of hope. Embracing change and persisting against all odds, the school’s enrollment skyrocketed to 120 students.
Giridhar, showing enthusiasm, reflects on this journey, “When a school is doing well, nothing can stop its progress. The only time a school will close is if we stop caring about it.”
Schooling in the village and help from Varthana
Giridhar says parents in villages have different opinions about school. Some want their child to study well, others would rather have their kids assist with work, sidelining the importance of education. And there are those who don’t really watch how their children are learning. “Running a school means navigating all these challenges that stand in the way of achieving greatness,” he observes.
Last year, Giridhar’s school saw the “highest admissions in the taluk, with 150 students.”
The proud leader shares, “A surge in admissions naturally required a strong infrastructure, notably in the form of additional classrooms and buses. The cost to set up just one classroom and acquire a bus is around 15-20 lakhs. This financial challenge was addressed when Varthana came into the picture. In 2021-22, they supported us and said that the institution would grow with the loan amount. We were able to construct classrooms from 6th to 8th grade.”
“After COVID, many financing companies didn’t want to lend to education institutions. But Varthana did, and that helped the school grow. I believe it’s important to pay back loans on time and be trustworthy,” shares Giridhar, expressing a strong gratitude for Varthana’s backing.
Now, the school has 268 students. An optimistic Giridhar thinks that number will grow by 150 more next year, given the new classrooms available for grades 6 to 8.
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What makes the school special
Giridhar emphasizes the key to their success. “We really care about each student and help them in every way we can. We also talk to parents often, telling them how they can help their children based on individual needs. By ensuring parents are well-informed about every aspect of their child’s growth, development, and school life, we’ve built a community of trust. Parents see no reason to look elsewhere.”
“In our village,” Giridhar proudly notes, “MR Nobel school stands unique as the sole English Medium school. “To us, children’s education is twofold – ensuring value for money, and more importantly, embracing our responsibility towards each child.”
He concludes, “A grand infrastructure isn’t our focus. Instead, we prioritize fostering open communication with parents and ensuring that our teachers provide the utmost care and quality education to every child.”
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