Shree Ganeshaya Namah
Manjula Sharma Memorial Academy, Domchanch- Koderma, Jharkhand, is one of the premier educational institutions in the city. We are the torchbearers of knowledge and growth and we leave no stone unturned in providing a learning experience to our students. Affiliated to central Board of Secondary Education, Manjula Sharma Memorial Academy enjoys the privilege of being the first and the only CBSE affiliated school in the area and considered as one of the leading institutions in this semi- urban area of Domchanch and its aligned areas. It is managed by Shripati Educational Cultural Environmental society, established in 2015.
Domchanch is a place in Koderma district. This place was rich in minerals specially Mica. There were mica mines. Many people did the authorized business of Mica very flourishingly. Few people were rich and disparity was very big. Few employment generation was there, and this was the primary and the only source of income because agriculture due to hilly area was non productive.
Gradually the business deteriorated, the demand of the mica in the world market went down. Alternate of the mica was found by them. Second came the Forest Act, that resulted in the closure of mines.
This led to the gradual increase in the poverty in the area. Unemployment started; people started migrating leaving behind their families. Crime started. People became poorer. But in the meantime stone business of chips started there that created another type of problem. The new class of quarry labourer emerged. They are very poorly paid and mostly in our school the students are of poor labourers. They are unable to pay the fees. Even the school fees nominal. Eventually, the management of the school is unable to meet the expenses.
I am Prof (Dr) K P Sharma, a retired professor of Vinoba Bhave University and chairman of Shripati Educational Cultural Environmental society. My father was a freedom fighter and made a substantial contribution in Bhoodan Andolan and National Movement. He owned some mines also which was totally closed later. But due to his foresightedness and realizing the importance of education, he provided good education to us. By the grace of God I became a Professor.
But in my heart of hearts I was in distress and in severe pain after looking into the condition of my native place. I had a strong desire to do something for the area.
Then I decided to start a school by forming a society, Namely Shripati Educational Cultural Environmental society. because somewhere in my mind this feeling was imbibed that for me the courage to do something for my people came through my studies only. And I started to live my dream after my retirement.
I started a school. My father had a piece of land in Domchanch. I deployed all the retirement fund of both mine and my wife Smt Manjula Sharma, she was also an educationist, Principal of Govt girls’ school, to build a school. Also sold some land which we bought in our lifetime.
The school, Manjula Sharma Memorial Academy, is in the name of my wife, as she left for heavenly abode in the middle of the journey but after she did her every bit for the school.
The school is affiliated to CBSE. There is no CBSE affiliated school in Domchanch block. The prime motive to start the school was to educate the children of the poor. Hence the fee is kept very low as the population of the rea is 95% backward and undeveloped area. There is lack of employment generation. They are not even able to pay their regular fees, still the school was able to meet the requirements from the fee received as profit was not the ultimate motive. I am getting my pension to meet my life requirements, but now I have to shell out my pension for the payment of some dues.
My endevour to teach children went to such an extent that a far off village Mukhiya was both willing and happy to send village children to CBSE Affiliated school but the distance was far. I bought a bus on lease and handed over the bus to village mukhiya. Now with little fees from every child, the bus picks the children in the morning and drops them in afternoon. It stays overnight to repeat the same in the morning. In this way we save the double commuting of the bus and our holistic purpose of educating and enlightening the children and covering the areas far and wide is served.
But in lockdown situation worsened. Most of the parents who were earning daily wages are not paying fees at all. Now the condition has worsened. It is difficult to maintain basic operating expenses. Furthermore school requires some more infrastructure such as more classrooms, Science laboratories, computer laboratories, math laboratories, language laboratories, library, sports facility as the expansion of school is required as per New Education Policy to meet the standing instructions.