Mangalore, June 14: “Don't call this school as Hajabba's School. This is a Government School. Neither I nor my children deserve any special privileges in this school…” This was orange vendor Harekala Hajabba's humble request to the people.
When the people forced him to utter a few words during the opening ceremony of the new building of Government Composite High School, build by himself with the help of donors, at Harekala on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday, the Akshara Santha said that though he was an illiterate his was ready for any sacrifice to make his society a literate society.
“This poor Hajabba cannot achieve anything without the help of philanthropists. The government higher primary and high schools in this vicinity were materialised only after many donors joined their hands with me”, he said.
“Now it is time to build a Pre University College here for our children. I am looking forward for the help of the philanthropists and politicians to accomplish this task”, he said adding that at least Rs 50 lakh is need to fulfill his dream project.
In response to Hajabba's request Mangalore MP Nalink Kumar Kateel, who inaugurated the new building of the School, said that it was his pleasure to donate Rs 5 lakh from his Local Area Development Fund to the same school.
Comparing Hajabba to a saint Mr Kateel said that society needs to learn many things from this orange vender, who successfully build a school for poor children without any selfish goals.
Calling Hajabba a 'pioneer' and 'star' in the field of education, Mr Kateel said that former's sacrifice has created a platform for many rural kids to ascend the school steps.
On the same occasion, Mangalore MLA U T Khader assured to develop road for the school from his Local Area Development Fund.
He pointed out that if at all the children living in and around Newpadpu and Harekala area could read and write the credit should solely go to this illiterate orange vendor.
With the inauguration of new building the students of Hajabba-built high school have got their own classrooms.
Though the government had sanctioned high school to the existing primary school in 2007-08, there was no separate building for high school.
The classes were held in the primary school classrooms and three batches of students have already passed out. At present, as many as 130 students are studying in the high school section of the school. The newly inaugurated building will have classes from VIII to X.
Harekala Gram Panchayat President Rashida, DDPI Moses Jayashekar, Mangalore Rural Block Education Officer Rajalakshmi K, Former Beary Sahitya Academy President M B Abdul Rehman, Lions Club Konaje former president Prasad Rai Kallimaru, District Information Officer K Rohini were present among others.
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