Right To Education - "On a Teacher's Day"

Summer days are long, but the days are not as long. I think summer is almost over and as soon as this thought crossed my mind, I could actually see some clouds hovering in the sky, floating and maneuvering with the help of wind. Yes there is a little breeze blowing here. The day is not as long as I assumed it to be.

It was start of September, late monsoons to a retreating monsoon in India, pouring rains in most of the thirsty lands, and over pouring at some. Not flood here, not too much of rain, Delhi is not a place blessed much with the real beauty of rains if I compare it with the places I have been and places which have been with me. It was not surprising that I thought it to be a summer day.

On this day I woke up the usual eightish, thanked god for giving me another day, I thank him each day for the life he has given me. I know I am lucky to have this life because life has been so beautiful. I did the usual three t's; the tea, toilet and toothbrush combo. I had a plan for the day. I was to go to school. On a Saturday morning when I open my eyes there are two things which are delightful; first, Its an Office Off and second, its a day for me.

So I had a plan to go to this school, nothing disciplinary but rather a pleasure. These kids form the Underprivileged part of the beautiful society that I am an eminent part of. Each time I see them I know life is beautiful, not because of the things I have, but because of the things I don't have, because of things that I can have, things that I aspire to have, things that are there and do not belong to me. Each time I see them, I see life bigger than it is. What probably has been the most satisfying combination for me is life with kids and learning - Education, as an Institute of Life.

This NGO run school "Apna Ghar" provides education to these underprivileged kids from the neighbouring area. Kids who are the future of the nation and if I become broader, the future of life. These kids are provided food by "Sai Temple" nearby. The school not only takes care of the Institutional requirements of the Educational organisation but also provides with support in field of overall personality development of the kids by being a part of their life, solving their family issues and orgainising vocational trainings and personality development modules for the Kids and their family member and the teachers.

Oh now, It was 5th September and I had a plan to celebrate my Teacher's Day with this very special student and teacher group. These teachers they stay in the school itself and as far as I have seen, this school and these kids form the real part of their life. I wanted to be a part of this celebration.

I took out my car, i like to call her my wife, she is not very pretty, but still very beautiful to me. She has been kind and somber and right beside me at all time since we got married. I have always felt safe with her. So I made a move, reached to the 1st red light where I saw another stunner. Its not surprising, but yes its new to me each time I see it. Beautiful gal, wearing torn cloths, dirt all around her clothes and enshrouding her innocence and seraphic self. But her eyes were not covered by anything, 111 seconds was my wait time, and she came up to me asking for something, anything that I could give. I looked into her eyes, shiver and I was perspiring. I said sorry to myself before I spoke to her "I have nothing to offer".

She scratched on my car and moved on to the next car.

111 seconds later I was again on road with my wife, she sings well and that is my favorite part. I reached to this school. Small kids wearing Saree, what did i see Saree?? Okay it was a trend in my school as well. On a Teacher's Day you get to be a Teacher of your choice. She was a science teacher today. The school was almost over and this was what I came for. Just before the prayers and lunch that is served after the Prayer, I had my twenty minutes with these kids.

Did I want to show off or I was just being a normal human being. I wanted to share my knowledge with these kids.

So i started;

Kids what day is it today?

Teacher's Day. (Enthusiastic and loud)

Hmmm. So why is it that its celebrated today?

Birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. (God, they knew the full name. Good!!)

So what is so special about Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

2nd President of India and a Teacher himself. (I was thinking now that they know it all)

So why is a Teacher Important?

Various answers...... (here i come) because they give us knowledge (Shiksha), (Yes, i did it.)

Shiksha se kya hota hai? (What does knowledge bring to us?)

Navin Pandey: Shiksha se Desh Mahan hota hai (Knowledge and education brings greatness to my Country.)

I was standing there stunned for a moment. Awed, mesmerised, struck by lightening. Check again, what is your name son, which class you are in?

"Navin Pandey, class II"

Could you repeat what you said.

"Shiksha se Desh Mahan hota hai"

I had a pilot pen in my pocket, we get them in our office. I gave him that and i repeated "Shiksha se Desh Mahan hota hai". God, I came here to learn.

While going back, when at the red light, that gal came to me again, I looked into her eyes. I was not ashamed of myself, I was not scared I said "Padhegi, Main tera admission karunga, yahin paas mein ek school hai" (Will you study, I will get you admitted, there is a school near by) I had something to give to her, thanks to Navin.

The gal looked at me again, scratched my car, and moved to the next car.

~ Lutarai

AN ATTEMPT TO EDUCATE

United Nation’s “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights” which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948 in the face of experience of the Second World War,declares in Article 2:

“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.”

“Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” 

The due to education was given in a time bound plan under United Nations Millennium Development Goals 2000, by declaring to ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling and that girls and boys will have equal access to all levels of education.

Constant realization and efforts of Indian Government, in the face of rising International credence, we started with Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan in 2001. Under SSA initiative 2001, India passed Constitutional Amendment Article 21A ensuring the Right to Education as a Fundamental Right to all its citizens and enacted Right to Education Act 2009 that was executed from 1^st April 2010.

One would for once think “Why so much of Lullaby?” Some may oppugn the world singing the same song of ensuring education and the economic value or may be everybody is convinced that it is important.

I would like to bring forward a small story.

A person sitting at his home once asked the housemaid to maintain the personal hygiene of the kid that she used to bring with her to work. It was her child who looked dirty, unhygienic and rolled in mud while the mother was busy cleaning the house to maintain the hygiene for this family. For the first time this maid realized that she needs to care for her child’s hygiene as well. 

This ‘person’ while sitting and seeing this child playing one day started teaching him the basic alphabets. While rehearsing a,b,c… and ka, kha, ga.. with this innocent child brimming with life, he asked his maid “are there other maids who have kids and accompanying their mother on work instead of getting educated?” The maid obviously replied in consent “yes they do.”

“Ask them to send their child with yours if you can” the man said candidly. A mid elderly man, sitting with a few kids and teaching them very basic fundamental of life, “There is no limit to human mind”, giving them small wings to fly, an immortal picture of a Vedic Guru imparting “Knowledge”.

From an informal group of a few kids to an organized force strengthening the growth, germinating values and ethics, “Giving the Fire of Desire to the future” this idea is now a concept “Apna Ghar Social Welfare Society” (http://apnagharsociety.com) an organization working for elementary education of under privileged children under leadership of ‘the person’ Mr. Aridaman Johri. 

Early setback in form of Nithari Kand, but never short of energy and vision this man started a school with 20 children which now is a school of over 100 student and infrastructure facilities for classes up to V. 

How does such organization works for the Society?

The answer lies in simple things and is not a juggernaut of jargons. 

     a)      The school invites, by means of survey, interviews and public meetings, local people andinspires them to send their children to school. Such initiative allows the interaction of the educated and well to do class of the society with the under privileged. On the very first hand it diminishes the gap of disparity that grips our present day society.

    b)      The school is an attractive place for children. There is persistent effort to make it attractiveand interesting while keeping it educative and informative. The aim is not just force people to growth. The school thrives on the eagerness of the child who opens his arms to this new world filled with rich experiences. There is never shortage of enthusiasm, never a lack of energy; everybody wants to spend maximum time in the school.

   c)      School also organizes events on Teacher’s Day, Republic Day, Independence Day etc. various competitions, expeditions, picnics and other challenging activities to create overallgrowth of the Children.

     d)      It hires people from local community. Hires capable teachers from the downtrodden nearby, thus creating jobs and self esteem.

      e)      Trains students and teachers for extracurricular skills. Gives vocational training to the community people. Thus giving them a sense of self reliability and achievement. 

Why discuss in such bullets? Rather let me tell you in the words of another man who is also attached to this cause and younger brother of Mr. Johri. Mr. S.D Johri, while expressing himself, after the school kids performed an Inaugural Dance on the Raising Day of Consultancy Wing, NTPC Limited he said with a very heavy voice and almost red eyes “These kids when they started could barely stand properly. They never projected the confident future of my society. How could I ever imagine them standing here on this stage; so confident, so poise and so full of the zeal. This has definitely changed them; they will never be weak again because they have seen their strength. They can never fall as they have seen the flight.”

I categorically remember the response to one of the questions raised by me to these kids on a Teacher’s Day program. I had asked after a few general questions about why and how the Teacher’s Day is celebrated, I asked “Shiksha se kya hota hai?” (What does education give?)

The answer that I shall take to my grave and probably reiterate a thousand time before its time came from a standard I student, Tiwari Jee as I call him. He said “Shiksha se desh mahan hota hai” (Education brings greatness to the Nation.)

There they stood in front of me, not timid but candid and echt. Not shy but sparkling eyes ready to take on. Not looking for help or generosity but standing tall to the occasion beside me matching prodigious self.

This person himself may never have thought of where it would lead to nor can anyone else see the future of this beginning but what matters is the fact that this beginning took place. While talking of the social, economic and political development and empowerment of the people of the nation, the first thing that will always come to any mind is “Education”.

                                                 विद्या ददाति विनयं, विनयाद्यति पत्रता।

                                                 पत्रत्वाद्प्नॊति धनधर्म्ं तता: सुखम् ॥

Knowledge (education) brings humility, with humility comes worthiness, worthiness brings about wealth and this wealth is used for righteousness cause to create prosperity and happiness. One must understand the above Shloka with the goal of Inclusive Growth and reducing disparity. Education gives direction to desires, ignites aspirations, imparts values and ethics and thus creates the social base.

A nation is as is its youth, the present, is shaped as is its children, the future, and basks in the glory of its elderly, its past. This Nation can only fly on the wing of these pupil and only as much as is their limits. Let’s spread this conviction for the cause of nation for the cause of our children and for the cause of mankind, we must learn and get educated.

~ ~ Nalini Atul ~~

An Intellectual Overreach

The recent Decision of Supreme Court shall qualify as Electoral Reforms - "Decriminalization of Politics" but to call it Judicial Activism or Overreach shall be an Intellectual Overreach in my view.

The term Judicial Overreach implies Judiciary surpassing its Constitutional Mandate and Judicial Activism generally refers to the suo moto action by Judiciary. If we verify these conditions here, first, it is case of Supreme Court abiding by its Constitutional Mandate by upholding the Constitution above any other Law. If Section 8 (4) did not pass the test of Constitutionality, it is the duty of Supreme Court to strike it down. So it did giving its decision while considering a Civil Public Interest Litigation and not suo moto.

In order to prevent any chaos because of this verdict, SC has also clarified many aspects of the decisions including the applicability and execution of the same. The interpretation of RP Act vis-a-vis Constitution by SC cannot be doubted or questioned either and if there is any doubt the Verdict explains the Constitutional position of Section 8 (4) with respect to the Article 101, 102 (1) (e), 190 and 191(1) (e) of the Constitution.

In another case that was a under the appellate jurisdiction of Supreme Court, it upheld the 2004 decision of Patna High Court which had held that a person not eligible to be an elector cannot contest election. Again if we go by the basic qualification for any MLA or MP the most important aspect is him being a Voter or an elector as given in the Constitution, so how the RP Act could discriminate a Citizen by not allowing him to vote and allowing him to contest election while in Jail. It seems a logical paradox.

Had the SC declared the Section 62(5) of RP Act void and unconstitutional, it would have been an Overreach, but by making it equally applicable in all situations it has only upheld its duty and restricted itself within its mandate. If the political parties and executive believe that the law is wrong, they have all the right to amend it but we all would agree that we cannot question the Logic in the interpretation by the Honourable Court.

Regarding the implication of these decisions and the fear that this gives away the power of disqualifying an MP(s) or MLA(s) to the Courts, it is to be understood that the courts are only deciding whether or not the accused is guilty and there by Convicting or Acquitting him / her. This is by all means the basic function of Judiciary and if a person gets disqualified because of this, it is the mandate of Constitution and not the Judiciary.

Moreover, if as a result of such disqualification, any Government on a thin majority falls, the onus of such loss shall be put on the political class. Politics being a field which is so intensely Value Oriented, should it not be the responsibility of the Political parties to ensure that a person who is likely to get convicted should not be a part of them and has no moral authority to claim to be the representative of people?

It is definitely unfortunate that after all the debates, discussions, Committees and their reports that has been produced in last almost 50 years on the all important Electoral Reforms, finally it takes a SC verdict to bring the reform that is welcomed. It only goes on to show the stubbornness and lethargy of the Political Executive and the political class as a whole and brings forward the need of better values and ethics in the political arena.

A Thought On World Population Day

Today is World population Day, 

A day recognised by the world to ponder over the boons and banes of ever increasing population in many countries and near stagnation or reverse growth in some. 

As any other issue on world forum, this issue also has its own Indian context which is unique to us.

We face both, the scarcities due to the increasing no. of people claiming the limited (till we invent/ discover/ innovate a paradigm shifting technology) resources as well as a potential in form of Human Capital, The Demographic Dividend.

The more we think of it the more it challenges us. The dimensions keep on increasing, (talking of Limited Resources and the claiming population), in terms of Quality of Resources, New Inventions / Technologies for a paradigm shift in usage of resources, efficiency improvement etc.

If we talk of Demographic Dividend too, there are dimensions of Quality of Human Capital and the kind of Growth opportunity we can provide to the youth, or whether the youth in Lack of proper direction will succumb to the need of putting their energy to use in baneful pretexts.

The need for a prelude in the right direction and right training has increased in the present crisis of economies in countries. We ourselves are facing weakening of Currency, increasing CAD and Fiscal Deficits with repayments due soon. If we agree that our great no. is our strength, we must also agree that these no. should represent a Vision and not Chaos. Critically viewing its just the different way of putting the Glass half full or Half empty analogy, but has much greater implications than can be imagined.

Not only the youth, another face of Demographic Dividend is our numbers in various countries creating a space of their own and having an Impact on International Issues. We need to ask ourselves a few questions today. Have we done enough to bring technological changes? Have we given emphasis to the efficiency improvements and innovations? Have we thought well and planned good for the future considering the ecological constraint we may have? Have we given the right direction to the numbers that we are?

But, the broader question remains and subsumes all, Do we have a Vision of where we see ourselves five years from now?

@ Worth pondering.

A Vision: NSS - Shape Social Development

National Service Scheme (NSS), under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is a Public Service program launched in Ghandhiji's Birth Centenary Year 1969 by the then Education Minister in 37 universities involving 40,000 students. (http://nss.nic.in/) 

The Vision was building the youth through community service and in return building the Nation through these youth. As is visible on the site (above) 

Quote "Today, NSS has more than 3.2 million student volunteers on its roll spread over 298 Universities and 42 (+2) Senior Secondary Councils and Directorate of Vocational Education all over the country. From its inception, more than 3.75 crores students from Universities, Colleges and Institutions of higher learning have benefited from the NSS activities, as student volunteers." unquote

the 2nd and more important part of the vision has blurred on its way in this journey from 1969 to 2013. (Please visit the site, there is so much more that might surprise you !!)

As a curriculum NSS form a part of many University Programs, Colleges and Institutes of higher learning but there may be no answer to the two important question that, if I have the liberty, I shall put. First, whether students have benefited from the NSS? If yes, in which parameter that benefit is reflected? Second, has NSS played any role in Nation Building and if yes, do we have any parameter as an answer to this question, can we really relate those numbers in terms of the quality of public services offered by these volunteers?

Having raised these questions, It is felt that there is a great opportunity here in a vision of putting the NSS curriculum to a better use and mobilize the youth force towards development of society and at the same time bringing in an amalgamation of traditional and formal knowledge thus to create Innovation.

One can establish the need for mobilisation of youth by grounding it on the need to harness the Demographic Dividend and more importantly channelise the energy to fruitful cause rather than letting this energy destroy our own self. Another very valid construct is the need for sensitisation of youth towards the community needs and culture. Creation of a youth force aware of the needs of Community and working as trustees of the society is the dream of every Gandhian Sociologist.

A very different view is not of a sociologist but of a scientific thinker, an Innovator, researcher who is hunting for knowledge in various phenomenon of nature. It is a proven fact today that a lot of scientific innovations are result of tested Traditional Knowledge or a mimicry of Raw Nature. Even the analysis, propagation and testing methods are inspired by nature. Sampling, population multiplication, Survival in the surrounding and evolution are some basic technique that arises form Traditional Experiences.

We can talk of many examples where the distance from our traditional knowledge has cost us a lot. Eg. Neem, tulsi, Haldi many other traditionally very important plants and their products have been used since ages without much of effort put to describe their scientific basis and reproduce in laboratory for commercialisation. What this suggests is that there is an alienation of Traditional Knowledge from formal Research and Development. NSS may address the need to bring the traditional knowledge nearer to the formal Institutions. While trying to develop the society we may develop our Institutions as well, rather I shall personally bank on second for becoming the game changer in future.

Almost all universities have NSS or NCC as subject, where in NSS has a great Social as well as Knowledge Potential, if there is a central monitoring and guidance of the activities done as a part of NSS.

There may be some of government programmes (Social) that may be implemented through NSS and shall also qualify as Community Service. This should facilitate interaction and understanding of traditional ways of people and thus a few sensitive minds could use that knowledge to create new technology in their own field. As a tried and tested Vision that we already have a very popular concept of "Honey Bee Network" (http://www.sristi.org/hbnew/index.php) and now "Innovation Clubs" thanks to the efforts of some great thinkers of our times like Sh. Anil Gupta and others with him working to create an Innovation Culture.

Here, I am writing to put this in as an Idea and request all innovators of the likes of Aditya and Rishiraj of NIT Silchar, (http://www.gsep.in/index.html) to try to bring a prototype in their own colleges, by clubbing this idea to a Great Social Initiative of their own. I really hope to see more such initiatives.

The more effective way of seeing the change is to coordinate all efforts in one direction. Something that can only be done by reviving the Spirit and Vision that was given originally to National Service Scheme, a vision of leaders of future connected to the grass-root level in society and identifying them as a part of a Global Community. Let us relive this vision.

~ Nalini Atul