Here, they teach you to dream

It was last year, on Children’s Day, that this school opened its doors to the less fortunate youngsters in Bangalore. And it’s going great guns already – giving them the knowledge and strength to carry on

SAGAR V

“Tomorrow,” says the teacher, “you will have a test on addition,subtraction, and multiplication.”

But no protests or groans greet the announcement; the faces staring back at her are bright and eager. In fact, the very prospect of putting their arithmetic to test seems to have put them on cloud nine — making any casual observer think that this is a school of super-achievers.

Not really. You would be surprised to know that most of these children were once school dropouts, while the rest never received any kind of formal education in the days gone by. Aged between 10 and 17 years, they all come from poor families where any extra source of income, however small, is always welcome. But all that changed when the Sindhi Seva School opened its doors to them last Children’s Day (November 14, 2007)— the day they first took to their pencils and books in full earnest.

Mahalakshmi Vijaychand, the principal of this school, says, “Our schools cater mostly to children from the upper as well as middleclass sections. But what about families in the lower economic bracket who cannot afford to send their children to school? It’s by keeping their interests in mind that the Samiti conceived of this evening school.”The Sindhi Seva School provides free education to working children,encouraging them as much as possible to obtain basic education. It aims at equipping them to pass the 10th standard examination under the National Open School system.

Students are provided everything,including books, stationery, bags, uniforms,shoes and snacks. “There is absolutely nothing that they are required to bring. If they have the willingness to learn, we will provide them with everything else,” the principal says, adding: “Many students here are otherwise employed, which is why we decided to make it an evening school. Because at that time, it is easier for them to make their employers grant them leave for a few hours.

“The school functions from 3 pm to 6:30 pm on all weekdays. At present,the children are being taught English, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. The medium of instruction is English.

TALK, ENGLISH,WALK ENGLISH…

Anil Kumar, 17, has been a regular student of this school since the very day it started. A former eighth standard dropout, he is now studying with renewed resolve. And if you ask him what’s his favourite subject, he will reply without a moment’s hesitation:”English!”

Why English? “To speak it,” hesays. 12-year-old Ankit Kumar, another student from the school, givesa similar answer.

For children like them, learning English is a serious dream, and they are quite resolute about it. Much ofthe world around them is in English posters, newspapers, television aswell as other people, and they always feel the strong urge to connect.

And has the response to this initiative been good?

“As of now, there are 40 students in this school,” says M V RVidyasagar, administrator of the Sindhi Seva School. “We have distributed pamphlets — and with the help of college students — staged street plays to draw potential students.However, the main problem is that people from the lower economic strata don’t know the value of education yet. It is understandable, because,for them, the situation is grim.And as the parents see it, there’s nothing productive to be had from attending school. However, many children prefer to study here because everything is free. Additionally, it is an English medium school. We often have students from government schools trying to shift here, and we run into trouble because government school authorities do not wantto lose their students, and they refuse to let them come.

“Nevertheless, committed students still come from far and near to become a part of the school. “We have even applied for bus passes for students who come from distant places,” says Vidyasagar. Upon joining,the students are given some preliminary coaching, after which they have to take a small test. Then they are classified into three grades on the basis of their performance.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

“We have students of different ages in each grade, because age is hardly a fair measure of the education received,”observes H Venkatesh, who teaches them. “But their honesty and sincerity towards acquiring knowledge is something extraordinary.Though the situation is notvery supportive for education in their homes, they still try very hard to get their bit,” he says. This attitude is not prevalent among their luckier counterparts, he states, adding, “The real value of education is realised only when you are deprived of it.”The classes are currently being held at Sindhi College, Hebbal. However,there are plans for relocation to a new campus, where there will be enough space and opportunity to include vocational training. That way,students can opt for higher studies and prepare themselves for skilled work at the same time.

Says Vidyasagar, “These children work during the day but they are never too tired to study in the evening.And we are very happy to see their extraordinary hunger for knowledge.“

And as you sit in class with them,you know he is right. Everytime a few heads nod or hands shoot up inresponse to the teacher’s words, you cannot help but grin admiringly. The commitment, keenness, perseverance,and devotion to their dreams— they are all there.