Back To School

In a village named Sitarampur, there live two girls named Komal and Shivani who are now fourteen and thirteen years old respectively. A few years back they had to drop out of school before reaching sixth grade so as to undertake the management of household responsibilities. Both their families remained silent towards pushing their children to school due to the workload at home. The fathers of both the girls had themselves only completed primary education before immersing themselves in going to work and earning for the family. When the team approached the family to understand the situation behind the scenes, the parents revealed that while they had no issues with education itself it becomes a problem when there are several tasks at home that the mother itself is unable to handle which means the children are assigned tasks to support the family. Largely this means that school and education are put on the backburner. 

The team then proceeded to explain the merits of learning and the long-term returns that children who are educated accrue in the future. While the parents came to a general agreement they desired to send their daughter to school only if they themselves showed inclination towards education as they were unwilling to push their children into something undesired. The team then went on to have conversations with the children who immediately expressed interest but their enthusiasm was dampened with the worries of getting admissions given their three year gap and receiving a new transfer certificate from primary to middle school. 

Delighted by their eager response, the Edu-leader team reassured them that all the processes involved would be taken care of without hassle. They took both of them to meet the Principal of the Primary School who agreed to give them the Transfer Certificate. They then approached the Middle School and successfully got them enrolled there. The girls then promised that they would go to school everyday. But they didn’t have any uniforms ànd their parents readily agreed to get them new uniforms,bags,shoes and socks.

Two days later when their father brought them to meet the Edu-leader team, he confirmed that they now go to school regularly. The people in Komal’s village who had earlier said that Komal can’t and will never go back to school are astounded by her progress and conviction in returning to school. Komal and Shivani are now happier than ever and so are their parents.

           Given a chance, Everyone can move forward.

Credits: Shruthi works with the Tata group. She is volunteering with i-Saksham to bring stories from the field to you.