INDIA OFFERS NO-COST EDUCATION TO CHILDREN IN NEED WITH THEIR FREE SCHOOL UNDER A BRIDGE INITIATIVE
Rajesh Kumar Sharma is not an ordinary teacher, nor does he work at a regular school. He was working to make ends meet at a building site when he noticed the children of his coworkers playing in a nearby field when they ought to have been studying. He was worried and gave them clothes and candy, but he quickly thought of a more permanent solution. At his "Free School of Under the Bridge," Sharma has been caring for New Delhi's underprivileged kids since 2006.
The idea was inspired by Sharma's personal history. He wanted to be an engineer, but he couldn't afford it, so he had to leave college. Sharma now hopes to help kids from the slums around the Yamuna River, whose parents are often farmers, informal workers, and irregular migrants, so they can avoid the same fate. What began as two youngsters receiving basic instruction has expanded into an outdoor school with about 300 students.
The free school, which serves students from the first year of elementary school to the third year of secondary school, is situated beneath two pillars of an aerial bridge. The majority of pupils sit on rugs or the dirt floor, and blackboards have been painted on a wall. Since children are free to attend a session whenever they need to, Sharma and the other three volunteer teachers who have joined the project do not keep track of attendance or organise groups.
The majority of the pupils are enrolled in government-run schools, where they receive free meals and textbooks, thanks to Sharma's encouragement. Later, Sharma offers to help them with courses like physics, math, Hindi, English, history, and geography that they find difficult. The teacher told UNESCO, "We use the national textbooks and do everything we can with the minimal tools we have, to help them improve."
Additionally, the instructor makes a special effort to assist students who are unable to attend a traditional school. In addition to educating them, he assists children of illegal migrants in obtaining the necessary documentation to be enrolled in school, or he begs parents who force their children to work for them to allow their children to pursue their education.
Despite being commended for his achievements, Sharma is terrified of being deconstructed if he establishes an NGO. In addition to avoiding paperwork, he stated, "I'm worried that if we have a legal structure, the metro authorities will think we've moved in and would force us off their property." Therefore, in order to prevent confusion, he only accepts donations in the form of items that can help the pupils, including food, clothing, books, water bottles, and seats, rather than cash.
“In India, it is said that the most beautiful lotuses are born in the marshes,” the teacher said, signalling how his students can thrive despite their circumstances—and much to his delight, they have. One of his earliest students has just entered university and shares Sharma’s aspiration of one day becoming an engineer. “I didn’t want this generation to lose out just because they are poor,” he told Al Jazeera. ”Through these children, I get to live my dream.”