SHIVPURI, MADHYA PRADESH: A government school in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district is attracting widespread attention after the state education department decided to paint it like a long-distance train coach. The idea to paint the exterior like the blue-coloured coaches was ideated by Block Resource Centre Coordinator Sanjay Bhaduria with the aim of motivating students to attend school regularly. The idea reportedly saw such success that the makeover was not only popular with children and their parents but also attracted the attention of the general public, with people turning up to click selfies in front of the school. 

"This innovative idea of the Madhya Pradesh education department to paint the school like a train is drawing crowds to see it," its principal Shyam Lal Jatav told PTI.

The school was constructed about five years ago, but the plan to paint the school like train coaches was made recently as its classrooms were structured somewhat like that, Jatav said.

"A fortnight back, the school was painted like carriages of a train with some modifications. Ever since it happened, people have been flocking to the school to click selfies and the students are very happy," he said.

Parents have also liked the idea and they have been praising the education department for it. They say their children are happy to go to school every day without complaining, he added.

Block Resource Centre Coordinator Sanjay Bhaduria Bhadauria said that they were trying to do innovations to attract students to schools in rural areas. "Also we are trying to improve the quality of education with innovations," he said.

"We are going to launch such initiatives at other schools. We are doing this as part of a campaign under which we aim to mark 50 such schools. So, if you go around with this in mind, painters will be taken (to paint) Disneyland at some places, buses.... We are doing this (to promote) education while playing, he added.

With inputs from PTI.