Editor,
Schools are often considered a home for children especially, government schools. Many parents send their children far from their village or hometown to cities or towns like Itanagar, Pasighat, etc., with the hope of a stable and better future. Many times, children staying with relatives or close ones face additional work and household chores.
Here’s the story of Ms. Yana (name changed), a student in the 5th grade at a government school. Her teacher noticed that she often slept in class. Upon inquiry, she explained that she worked from 2 to 4 am in the morning at the Futsal Football Turf, cleaning and serving guests. The Turf is run by her brother and sister-in-law, and she lives with them. Another student, Ms. Mapa (name changed), is in the 6th grade at a government school. She didn’t attend school regularly. One day, when she returned, the teacher asked, “Why haven’t you been coming to school regularly?” She stayed silent, and the teacher asked again, this time politely. She replied, keeping her head down, “My relative asked me not to go to school but to take care of the shop and babysit.” Her teacher also mentioned that she is good at studying and eager to learn new things. Unfortunately, there may be more students like Yana and Mapa in various government schools located in well-developed towns and cities.
Providing quality education depends on a child’s mental and physical well-being. To ensure quality education, the Indian government has established institutions like JNV, KGBV, and EMRS, but such schools are fully residential and often located in remote areas. Due to financial instability, parents in remote areas send their children to relatives living in towns or cities. Moreover, many poor parents migrate to urban areas in search of a better life, often taking their children with them. These children not only study but also help with daily household chores, and some do even more. There was a time when both chores and studies could coexist, but times have changed. In this era of competition, one must excel and innovate. Therefore, stability is needed.
Hence, it is the responsibility of our state government and education system to create a conducive environment for such children where they can study and realize their potential. The government is obligated to develop inclusive, holistic policies and plans for the upliftment of the underprivileged sections of society.
To address these challenges, the state government can establish partial residential schools within existing schools. In a partial residential school, students spend five days (Monday to Friday) at the school and return home on weekends to assist their parents and elders with household chores and other responsibilities.
Initially, this model can be implemented in one or two schools, such as in Itanagar, where many children stay with relatives or elders. If these schools show positive results, the model can be expanded. These schools will also provide teachers with ample time to instruct and guide students. Additionally, after regular classes, the school can offer skill-based classes such as painting, carpentry, handicrafts, and more.
Schools play a crucial role in shaping lives, and a good education often leads to a better life. Partial-residential schools like these have the potential to become a second home for students like Yana and Mapa. Here, they can access education in a supportive environment without mental or physical exhaustion. If these model schools yield positive outcomes, they can significantly improve the overall educational performance of state schools.
Keyom Doni
email: keyomdoni123@gmail.com