With interest-free loans for bicycles, this school is pedalling to a better tomorrow

Ariyalloor (Malappuram): “Why do we need vehicles that pollute the environment? Riding a bicycle is fun and environment friendly,” said Ghanashyam, a Class 6 student at Ariyalloor G.U.P School while enlisting himself with his class teacher as a student seeking interest-free loan for bicycle.

“That’s true, from now on, we are also switching to bicycles, his friends Muhamamd Ansil, Shahana and Devananda queued up to enlist their names. Around 100 students from the school have enlisted for the loan.

The school’s Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) with the help of Ariyallur Service Co-operative Bank devised the plan to provide interest-free bicycle loans to the students. The students can pay up in ten instalments.

For example, if a student is buying a bicycle worth Rs 5,000, he or she can pay Rs 500 every moth for ten months. A representative from the bank will come to the school every month to collect money from the students.

The bicycle companies will come to the school with various models as soon as classes restart after holidays for COVOD-19 prevention. The students can choose their favourite model. The bank will transfer the cash to the bicycle companies.

“Around 80 students are coming to the school on bicycles at present. We are hoping that the 100 students who have enlisted now and those who will enlist in the project in the future will create a bicycle revolution,” said headmistress T. Usha.

“There are 1080 students in the school. We are expecting around 400 of them to be part of the project. There is a vacant land behind the school and we are planning to turn it into a bicycle stand,” she added.

“This bicycle project aims to train the children to take up environment friendly choices in real life,” said C. P. Baby, a teacher and Mathrubhumi SEED coordinator at the school.

The idea was put forward by school PTA president Vinayan Paarol. It was quickly taken up by everyone and the bicycle revolution begun.