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Moving ahead with conviction
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There is a visible change for the better at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Athur, ever since Madras Midtown Round Table 42 adopted it. As the next step, 42 plans to provide medical care for the area. MALATHI RANGARAJAN writes ...
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``You should be in time for the exam tomorrow''... says the teacher. — Pics. by S. Mahinsha.
WHEN SHIVKUMAR Eashwaran says with conviction that he does not believe in cheque-book charity, the honesty of the statement is only too clear. And standing testimony to his words is the Panchayat Union Middle School, Chozhavaram, in Athur where the Madras Midtown Round Table 42, which has Shivkumar as its chairman, is doing yeoman service for the cause of education.
Athur is a small village, in the outskirts of Chennai, around 10 km, away from Red Hills. Plenty of water, a lot of greenery and mango and guava groves, interspersed with growing industrial units, form this small village. In a place where most of the people are daily labourers, instilling in them the need to educate their young, is an uphill and almost impossible task. But Madras Midtown Round Table 42, is putting together all its energy, initiative and drive, to make the Panchayat Union Middle School in Athur a model institution.
Round Table is an international organisation of men in the 18-40 age group. After 40? ``You become an honorary member...the idea is to run Round Table as a youth movement,'' Mr. Shivkumar explains.
As you drive down the muddy road to the Athur school, to witness first hand the goings on, the huge Mid Town 42 signboard catches your eye. ``That is the first construction of ours in the school,'' says Mr. Shivkumar. And just as you look down, students are seen sweeping the school premises. ``It is part of our aim to teach them the need to maintain a clean environment,'' says Ms. Sivagami one of the teachers in the school. ``The sad part is the poor infrastructure... imagine, the school does not even have a watchman and hence the campus becomes a haven for anti-social elements, after school hours,'' says Mr. N. Murugesan, headmaster of the school.
It is unbelievable that the institution that began functioning as an elementary school in 1962, and has been elevated to the level of a middle school in 1999, has just eight members teaching nearly 600 students! What effective communication can take place, when around 85 children coming from the low economic strata are put under a single teacher? "The dearth in the number of teachers is undoubtedly a major problem," says Mr. Murugesan. "And if even one goes on leave it is chaos," he adds. Naturally. In such circumstances one teacher is left to handle two sections — and that means a mind-boggling strength of 170 students and more. Hence sometimes they are forced to take the easy way out — if one goes on leave, the other follows suit. But this is not always possible. Is anybody listening? ``We are'', Round Table 42, seems to say. ``We are working towards bearing the maintenance of an additional three staff members and the modalities are being worked out,'' says Mr. Shivkumar. Their next project for the school will be at an estimated cost of Rs. 30 lakhs. With the Government doing its bit, 42 will organise a benefit show in the next couple of months to pursue the cause.
Their involvement in the school does not stop with just providing the money. ``We would like to see for ourselves how our help really makes life better for these children. Freedom through education is our motto,'' he adds. So the members of 42, are constantly interacting with the staff and students and things are moving forward. Mr. Shivkumar sounds optimistic.
From study kits and learning aids, to utensils and plates for the midday meal scheme, from toilets and water facility to building airy class rooms, Madras Midtown Round Table is doing its mite, ``Service through Fellowship'' being the motto.
Gathering for the evening prayer...
There is awareness among the poor parents now. They want their children to study. But at the same time their poverty is often a deterrent to progress, feels Ms. Vijayanirmala, one of the teachers of the school.
``Most of them sell guavas or work in the appalam factories nearby on a daily wage basis. ``Sending a child to school with proper uniform, tie and shoes, which we insist on, getting them books and feeding them are not easy," Sivagami goes on to explain. ``This is where the Government's mid-day meal scheme proves a great draw. If their child's meal is taken care of during the day, it is one burden less for the struggling parent.
"When there is a quarrel between the husband and the wife, they abruptly pull the children out of school. Things like regular attendance mean little to them,'' Shenbagavalli another teacher enlightens you. Despite the odds, parents are called for meetings in the school. Earlier very few would attend. ``What happens to our wages for the day,'' would be their counter. But with the motivating presence of Mr. R. Murugan, president of the Panchayat Board, who takes active interest in the growth and welfare of the school and its students, things are looking up. And the parent teacher association of the school does function.
Since the time the Madras Midtown Round Table 42 identified the Panchayat Union Middle School as the one they could adopt and serve, M. S. Sai (Secretary) and Sridharan have been actively involved in the welfare schemes for the school. Their places of work are in the vicinity thus making frequent visits to the school possible. Eradication of illiteracy and making tomorrow's citizen self-sufficient through education is the aim of 42. And they are proceeding splendidly towards it. Next on the agenda is a medical centre for the poor of the area. Their schemes in education and health is all set to go as far as Soorakottai, in Thanjavur district. A lot is being done but much more needs to be done.
With such benevolence at hand the middle school in Athur that will send its first batch of Class VIII students for the examination this year, should soon grow into a high school. Where the dropout rate of the girl child is as high as 90 per cent, this is no mean achievement.
The bell rings for the evening prayer. As the students disperse after the National Anthem, the senior teacher approaches the girls, and in a coaxing tone says, ``Your exams begin tomorrow afternoon. Don't stay away, even if your parents ask you to. You can come here in the morning as usual, study, have your meal, write your exam and go home... ok?''
The teacher has reason to be apprehensive about the response. The problems and the priorities of the rural poor are any day beyond the comprehension of the educated urbanite.
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