Our trust boasts a history of trailblazing school-centered programs. Approximately 25 years ago, the "Midday Meal" program was initiated. We equipped the school with a kitchen and ensured that 400 students received a nutritious meal every day. This program was groundbreaking in Bashettihalli at the time, and its efficacy soon attracted the attention of the government, leading to its widespread implementation throughout the state, closely modeled after our pioneering efforts.
The high school continued to garner acclaim, experiencing an uptick in enrollment, particularly benefitting local women who were now able to access education within close proximity to their homes. Over time, the high school underwent a transformative evolution, expanding to become a 2-year commerce college (excluding science). This expansion further propelled increased enrollment among women and the broader village population. As the educational institutions expanded, the issue of land scarcity arose. In response, we secured a parcel of land across the street from the established schools and erected a college.
In the year 2015, the college commenced its operations. With government collaboration, we augmented the initial plan of a 6-room college and instead constructed a 12-room college, thereby elevating its status to a comprehensive 4-year educational institution. Regrettably, the onset of the Covid pandemic impacted enrollment, not reaching the levels we had anticipated. Nevertheless, prior to the pandemic, enrollment reached as high as 300 students, with a significant number of young women from the village gaining access to higher education, bringing comfort to their families through the assurance of proximity.
One of our educational initiatives is a progressive reward system, wherein students achieving a remarkable 75% or higher in their examinations receive due recognition. In previous years we have had over 30 students qualify for this commendable reward! We take pride in pioneering this innovative incentive system within the community and aspire to inspire others to follow suit, thus fostering a culture of perseverance and achievement among students.
Unfortunately for the community, in the last two years, we have seen an increase in mismanagement of the college on the administrative level. After years of protest by the students, legal action is finally being taken against the government. Sadly in this time, what once educated hundreds of local village students has withered down to only 4 students. We have hired an advocate and held meetings with executives in order to improve the outlook of this facility. If no agreement or change is made, Durgam Charitable will reposes the land and turn the college into a privately owned vocational school.
