103-year-old Government Higher Primary School in Mangaluru starts English medium classes

The Hindu

21 hours ago

Over a century old Government Higher Primary School in Bejai Kapikad, near KSRTC bus stand in Mangaluru, is among 115 government schools in Dakshina Kannada which have been permitted by the State government to start English medium classes from the academic year 2025-26.
The school, established in 1922, currently has a total of 63 students from Classes 1 to 7, along with three permanent teachers, including headmistress Leena Irine Goveas, and two guest teachers. The school also has two cooks to provide 'Bisi Oota' (mid-day meal) to students.
Headmistress Ms. Goveas said the permission to offer English classes was granted on July 2. 'Though the academic year has already started, we hope to have an admission of new students to English medium of Class 1,' Ms Goveas told The Hindu.
Ms Goveas said the school has 10 computers that have computer-aided teaching tools. The students were being trained in kho-kho and kabaddi, Ms. Goveas said.
The school was among the list of government schools mentioned in the 'Namagaagi' portal of Dakshina Kannada district administration (cf.dakshinakannada.org) seeking donations for the improvement of facilities. The school has sought donations for the construction of three additional classrooms, a one-meter-long compound wall, a kitchen room, a rainwater harvesting facility, a laboratory room, and two drinking water purifiers.
The school was among the 15 government primary schools in Mangaluru North block, which has secured permission to start English medium classes this year. Twenty schools in Bantwal, 18 in Puttur, 16 each in Belthangady and Mangaluru South, and 15 schools each in Moodibidri and Sullia blocks have also received permission.
A total of 120 government schools in Dakshina Kannada were already managing English medium section in their schools.
In Udupi, a total of 78 schools have been granted permission to start English medium classes from the 2025-26 academic year. As many as 18 schools were located in the Brahmavar block, while 15 schools each belonged to the Byndoor, Karkala, Kundapura, and Udupi blocks.