Mysuru: A group of children of construction workers aged between two to 12 years have been given an opportunity to experience school life for free inside a makeshift classroom at Manasa Gangotri campus. Thanks to the initiative taken by Inner Wheel Club of Mysore Central and Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement.
On the lines of tent school organised for children belonging to Mahouts and Kavadis at Mysuru Palace during the annual Dasara, Inner Wheel Club in association with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement is conducting classes for children of construction workers at Manasa Gangotri. More than 30 children of construction workers who have come from Hyderabad are attending classes. Inner wheel club is not only providing them free education, but also provides free bag which contains note and text books apart from pencil, eraser and other required stuffs for pursuing education.
A teacher well versed in Telugu is appointed to teach the children accompanied by their parents. During the one and half hour class which is conducted daily between 9.30am and 11am, they are taught alphabets, basic Kannada, rhymes, neatness and table manners. The parents want their children to be educated, but due to poverty they are forced to discontinue their children’s education. Most of the parents have welcomed the idea of make shift classrooms which is being conducted by the ladies wing of Inner wheel club, Mysuru branch.
Chandrika Sudhir, President of Inner Wheel Club of Mysore Central said, “These kids are from Hyderabad and apart from Telugu they don’t know any other language. Hence, we selected a teacher who is well versed in Telugu. These children are taught basics of English and Kannada, rhymes and drawing every day. We will also try to keep track of these children. We try to inform our concerned Inner wheel club members and see that education of these children is continued further wherever they go. We even try to educate the mothers of these kids. We educate them on basic issues including cleanliness, hygiene, diseases and childcare. N Nandini, Secretary and Soujanya Attavar, Treasurer of the club are also playing pivotal role in providing education to these children. These kids have been identified by C Chandrashekar and BC Aravind who work as field worker and program manager respectively at Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. Fathima of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement also played an important role in identifying these children”.
Renuka, who teaches these kids said, “The children are really outstanding. If they are given proper training, they will be a great asset to the nation. Whatever I teach, they grasp it immediately. They have very good memory power”.
Subashini, a construction worker from Hyderabad said, she had to take her two sons to work every day which distracted her from work and she was worried for her sons all the time. “When I came across the makeshift school, I felt a sigh of relief. Now I have two kids, I leave them at the class and go to work without any worry as they take good care and educate them as well,” she said.
12-year-old Ramu who is among 30 children who has learnt basics of Kannada in a span of few days said “I want to be a police officer and punish the wrong doers”.
