Poornapragla Higher Primary School

The school is right near Shirsha Circle in Hiriyur. Most people around here know where we are because it’s a busy spot. It started a long time back and the building has seen better days, but it’s sturdy. Every morning the kids start coming in around eight-thirty. You can hear them from the road. We have primary classes here, so it’s mostly younger children running around the corridors. The classrooms have wooden benches and big windows that let in the breeze when it’s hot in Chitradurga. Teachers sit together in the small office to mark books during the breaks. We don't have a massive playground, but there's enough room for the kids to play tag or sit in the shade. Sometimes the power goes out, but we just keep the doors open and carry on. The parents are mostly local folks from around the circle or nearby streets. They drop the kids off and chat for a bit before heading to work. It’s a plain place, nothing fancy. We have old cupboards full of maps and chalk boxes. The walls have a few posters that the children made last year. It gets a bit noisy during lunch when everyone is eating their tiffin boxes together. That’s just how it is here every day. We focus on getting through the lessons and making sure everyone shows up on time. It feels like a small community once you step inside the gates.