Teacher’s Diary: ‘When I joined, the classrooms were mouldy; I didn’t feel like opening my tiffin box. Today the school is transformed’
A teacher in Anta village of Kanpur Dehat, UP, rallies around support from the entire community of village administration, students and their parents into making the school a space where his students will feel uplifted.
Vineet Kumar Mishra 4 July 2023 7:34 AM GMT
My greatest achievement has been bringing together the teachers, students and the parents to make the school the best we can.
As a teacher for more than five years in Anta Village, Kanpur Dehat district, my greatest achievement has been bringing together the teachers, students, village head, and the parents on a single platform to make the school the best we can.
When I came to Anta village in 2018 my goal was to enhance the writing-reading skills of my students. Even today, that is my topmost priority. In our school — Upper Primary School, Anta, Rasulabad block — we have smart classrooms, use the Diksha App, and find ways and means of making teaching and learning as engaging as possible.
Through the Diksha App, we find different ways of making teaching and learning engaging.
Our school in Anta village, Kanpur Dehat district, has a science room, a maths room and a library, besides five classrooms, all of which we added with the help of the local community and the administration. We have 114 students in all with 67 of them being girls. The admissions are still on for this session. When I joined in 2018, there were 42 girls and 50 boys.
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I have taught for many years before I came to the Upper primary school and it was here that I felt really challenged.
There were no toilets, no running water and the classroom walls were mouldy. And, there was no power supply. How on earth would the children be motivated in coming to a gloomy classroom like this one? I was so disappointed that I didn't even feel like opening my tiffin box.
For the first few days I felt hopeless and wondered if I would be able to make any difference at all to the place and my students. However, within a few days, as I got to know my students better, things changed.
With the help of a few former students and the parents of the current students, my teachers and I cleaned up the physical environment first. Some parents donated ceiling fans and others gave tube lights so that the classrooms were well-lit. One ex-student even gave his laptop to the school so that I could show my students educational videos on various topics.
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I also began reaching out to the higher officials so that they could help me in improving the situation. The Gram Panchayat helped me in installing electricity poles near the school for electric supply.
Meanwhile, when the renovation of the school took place, I ensured that the classrooms were furnished with desks, chairs, fans and informative charts on teaching and learning material. We had boards on the walls to make the classroom an interesting, colourful and an informative space for the students.
Promoting young girls to bring the change
I am so proud to say that 11 girls from our school joined the Meena Toli, where school girls go door to door in villages spreading awareness about girl education. They perform nukkad natak (street theatre) on the theme, hold conversations with adults and children alike and discuss the important issue of education for the girl child.
More than 200 girls have enrolled into the school since 'Meena Toli' drive took place in 2018.
The efforts of our Meena Toli has increased enrollment of girls in our school by 20 per cent. More than 200 girls have enrolled into the school since this drive took place in 2018.
Students also take part in awareness drives on de-addiction, road safety, prevention of communicable diseases and environmental protection.
As told to Laraib Fatima Warsi.
