A teacher of the Government Primary School in Pasmarapenta, a tribal village near Pernambut town in Vellore, is driving his new share auto rickshaw to pick up primary class students from nearby tribal hamlets and drive them back to their houses after school hours every day.
M. Dinakaran, 39, has taught classes I and II at the school for over a decade. He has been driving rickshaw since June 14, when all primary schools in the State were reopened after summer vacation. “I felt sad when students told me that they got hurt by thorns while walking to school. They sleep in the classroom sometimes due to tiredness after walking for a long time,” he said.
Formed in June 1962 with around 30 students, the school now has over 100 students, including 60 girls, and four teachers, including the headmistress, R. Thirumalai Selvi. Most of the students are from Pasmarapenta, Samaneri, and Kollaimedu tribal hamlets.
