Our decision to close down one of our primary centres may have perplexed some of our friends and well wishers. I must confess that it was not an easy one but the writing was on the wall and we had to stand by our initial mission: that of empowering parents to take charge of the education of their children. So when we realised that most of the children were now attending private tuition’s we knew our task was done and we had to move to another place.
Sanjay Colony was the chosen location. In barely a month there are over 80 children who attend our classes regularly. Yesterday I was given the monthly report of that centre and its content more than validated our decision. More than 50% of the children were well below their class and some who were in class V barely knew the class II curriculum. This shows once again the abysmal state of municipal schools in India’s capital city where children are made to pass from one class to the other irrespective of their knowledge till they reach secondary school where they often drop out.
It is sad to see that nothing is really being done to address the situation and take on remedial measures. It is almost as if no one was really interested in educating the poorest of the poor. This is the reality in a country that is poised to celebrate sixty years of Independence and where education is a constitutional right of each and every child.
