A Classroom full of hope

Sakshi, 9 and Ishita, 7 are sitting with open lunch boxes, munching spoonfuls of rice. Ask them about their favourite subjects and Sakshi flashes you a toothy grin. “Math”, comes the unexpected answer, while Ishita shyly mutters, “Craft and English.”

It is 10.15 am on a bright Monday morning and its recess time at the Nagle School. A flurry of excited children run around, playing a chaotic game of hide and seek.

Ensconced within the sprawling premises of Presentation Convent School in the heart of Old Delhi, India, the Nagle School is a happy place to be. It caters specifically to students from poor backgrounds and nearby slum areas, providing them free quality education, free uniforms and books as well as midday meals. Named after their foundress Nano Nagle, the school is an initiative of the Order of the Presentation Sisters to blur the distinction between the education available to the rich and the poor.

Says Programmme Coordinator Sr. Roselima, “We started the school in 2002 and it has grown with its students. The first batch has now reach class 8^th and we hope to introduce vocational training in the next few years to come.”

From 2002 till 2009, many hurdles have been surmounted. Sr. Roselima recalls the initial hiccups, trying to convince parents to send their daughters to school. “They would typically counter that girls are meant for domestic chores, why do they need to study. But persistence pays off in the end.”

According to the Census of 2001, the male literacy rate in India is 75.3% while the female literacy rate is only 53.7%. Amidst these disappointing figures the school’s success story sends out a ray of hope. Says a teacher Ms. Vaishali, “In the beginning of this academic year, at least 50 out of the 250 students dropped out- some went to enroll in formal government schools, others were withdrawn by parents who wanted them to work. But most of them joined back by midyear.”

The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act 2002 has made education a Fundamental Right for children in the age group of 6-14 years, but most state run schools suffer from a crippling lack of facilities and teachers. Though these schools charge little or nothing, yet they leave their students unequipped to compete with the public or private school students.

Says Ankita, a class 4^th student, “I was first admitted to a government school near my home. But there were no teachers half the time. So I shifted here.”

Despite the attempt to bridge the gap, there still exists a world of difference between the students of the “big” school and its small counterpart. After a day spent with books, the girls go back home to the daily grind of household chores and odd jobs such as sewing work. Ms. Vaishali contends, “They face double the pressure and so they work twice as hard. Also, since they are first generation learners in their family, their parents cannot help them with any homework.”

Due to the lack of space, the school runs in two shifts. Most students hail from nearby areas like Jamna Bazar, Angoori Bagh, Chota Mor Sarai. “As part of our duties, we also visit each child’s home. While some of them are relatively better off, others come from broken homes, living in dirty, cramped spaces and unsafe areas”, explains their teacher.

But cramped homes have not cramped their styles. The whole classroom is witness to the creativity of the girls-flower vases, paper cutouts, wall hangings proudly dot all the corners.

A personal connect between the teachers and students has been established based on mutual respect. Between the classroom and the playfield, practical lessons of life are also imparted. Personal hygiene, puberty, alcoholic fathers and adverse family situations are all discussed during tactful conversations.

Though the school is strictly informal, it aims to assist its students to join the mainstream and enable them to give their class 10^th (‘O’ levels) and class 12^th (‘A’ levels) under the National Open School Programme.

Nagle School and its students aim to answer a simple question. Can equal opportunity make equal citizens? All hands raised on that one.