Kopra (Wardha district): Kopra village, about 80 kms from Nagpur, has a unique distinction of having two school ‘buildings’ but just one student. And even that lone name on this zilla parishad school’s register, eight year-old Tanu Madavi, will sign off for the last time next week as her family has decided to shift to a nearby village so that she can get a classmate.With a population of just 64, Kopra village does not have anybody except Tanu to take admission between Std I and V as the other half a dozen kids are either too young or too old.Of the two school ‘buildings’, one is an old brick and mortar structure that has cracks running along the length and breadth of the wall. Some of the cracks are so wide enough for one to peep and look at the other side of the wall. Since the building is considered dangerous, from last year Tanu is being tutored in a temporary structure that was meant for storing food material and cooking midday meals. The tin structure, supported by pre-fabricated metal body, can compete with a commercial bakery oven in the hot Vidarbha sun. Fortunately for Tanu and her teacher Arun Satpute, in summers the school starts early and finishes by 11.30am. Satpute said, “April 30 will be the last working day and then we will resume in the end of June.”But in June, neither Tanu nor Satpute will be here.While Satpute is due for transfer as he completes six years at Kopra, the Madavi family has decided to abandon their 70-yea--old home so that their daughter can have a classmate. But considering that the nearest school from Kopra is just 3 kms away at Borgaon-Datar village, Madavi family’s decision to pack up for good seems surprising.Tanu’s father Raju, a daily wage labourer, said, “In your city 3 kms maybe nothing, but here this dirt track is completely shut off to vehicular traffic in monsoon. It is so muddy that people park their vehicle at Borgaon and walk for over an hour to reach here if it is so urgent.” He added, “I have an elder son who studies in Borgaon but when it rains, it’s almost like a short vacation for kids.”Tanu’s teacher Satupute confirmed that reaching Kopra during monsoon, which is slightly uphill, is a tortuous task. “My bike is parked at Borgaon after which I pull up my pants and roll up my sleeves and carry my belongings on head. And very slowly, I make my way up here avoiding slippery portions and soft mud where your feet can get stuck,” said Satpute.Tanu’s face lights up as she listens to her father talking about shifting to Borgaon. “I want to go that school because there are lot of children to play with. I love studying and Satpute sir takes care of me, but I get bored as there’s no one else to talk to,” she told TOI. Her midday meal is taken care of by a villager, who has been given the contract.Lalit Barsagde, block education officer at Hinganghat tehsil, said, “The government is committed to providing every child with a Right to Education and that’s what we did at Kopra.”The Madavi family is also getting ready for the transition of moving out of their comfort zone and since Raju has relatives in Borgaon he hopes the transition will be smooth. “I have many people belonging to my community living there. In fact, at one point of time they all used to live in Kopra but because of a government project we were offered land at Borgaon. My brother lives there with his family, but I like it here because Kopra has been our home since my grandfather’s time.”

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