One of the most heartbreaking images from the devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad last year was the destruction of the Vellarmala Government Vocational Higher Secondary School (GVHSS) in Chooralmala village. The memory of Headmaster Unnikrishnan weeping before the media, grieving the loss of 20 of his students, still remains in the collective memory of Kerala. It was one of the state’s worst natural disasters in recent history.
Now, on this year’s school reopening day, Unnikrishnan has retired, but his former school stands rebuilt—a symbol of resilience and renewal. On Monday, June 2, just three months after construction began, both Vellarmala GVHSS and Mundakkai Lower Primary School in Wayanad, which were badly damaged in the landslides, celebrated their official inauguration.
The reconstruction was undertaken by the Builders Association of India and completed in record time. Following months of erratic and severe weather, the decision was made to reopen the schools for the new academic year, marking a new beginning for the community.
The new Vellarmala GVHSS building was inaugurated by MLA T Siddique. The school welcomed 40 new students, while Mundakkai LP School admitted 16, with all students receiving new books and school bags. The newly constructed Mundakkai school includes eight classrooms and 10 washrooms, with additional infrastructure currently underway.
“With only a small building and limited facilities available, students faced difficulties for almost six months after the landslides, out of which they spent three months in relief camps due to the weather,” said Meppadi panchayat president K Babu.
Expressing his excitement over the new school buildings, he told TNM that four more buildings are yet to be built. “There are a few areas in consideration, the final location is yet to be decided,” he said.
The new buildings will be constructed through government funding and will include lower primary and higher secondary schools.
The Vellarmala GVHSS is the only available higher secondary school in the locality within a 14 km radius. Almost all the students in the area study here.
In the midnight hours of July 30, 2024, landslides erased the Vellarmala and Mundakkai schools entirely and 20 students lost their lives. The old school area has now been declared a no-go zone.