A simple story how a teacher trying to solve the problem of a community person but realises that it was...
After 5 minutes inside the class I wondered to see that there were a few students who were unable to read and write English and it was an English Medium School. Located in one of the remote areas in the district of Bakura the school as per government policy aimed at empowering the kids from down trodden families to be strong in English. Set up an English medium school and you will reach the target the policy makers thought. "Win the lottery and ensure admission" Talent or skill had no importance. And "Beli Sardar" was lotted. It was class five where I first discovered her trying to draw pictures of the alphabets. Going through the words, no matter how much easier they are, was a difficult job to her. Here all the books except Bengali were printed in English. The students are to write the answers in English and the situation will be harder to many others like Beli.
Before I focus on it let me go back a few months. The first day I entered the class I revealed my identity including my name and asked theirs. In her turn she said "Beli Sardar" and "Badla", her name and her father's name respectively. " Why Beli? Isn't it Bela?" I asked. And your father's name must be Badal, I think !" She nodded. Kids of her age, belonging to backward and poor families were habituated to listen and tell names likewise. Lack of self respect and dignity is a curse. My job became harder. School uniforms being out of supply the students use to put on those collected by their parents. I noticed their garments were rather dirty. They did not mind it. Regular cleaning was mere wastage of soaps they thought. Consequently many of the students belonging to these backward communities used to suffer from skin diseases. Now it was our duty to teach them the sense of cleanliness, punctuality and create thirst for knowledge.
So a meeting was held. All I had were guest teachers, engaged to run the school after retirement from previous job of teaching. They have come to earn money and pass the leasure days in pleasure. I am no exception to it. But God knows why I feel pity for this helpless kids who have dreams but no abilities. I decided to look into the problem. "Badal babu, why did you send your daughter to the school when you have a Bengali medium school nearby?" I asked Beli's papa. He answered, "Sir the leader has assured free fooding and lodging along with education in English.Our children will find establishment in future. But no hostels yet, no promise in near future too?
Days rolled by. Beli can now read Bengali but English is still what she dislikes most. In the annual exam her answers with made written by her classmates so that they can be promoted to next class. This was the case of twenty other students out of thirty in the class.
Starting of hostel being a far off thing, many of them applied for TC (transfer certificate) and had it. They have at least their pretty sense of self realisation. Thinking of it as my failure too, I myself resigned.
