Right to Education is a hot topic. Students of city-based Abhyasa International Residential Public School presented Right To Freedom? a drama at their Crystal Hemanth Utsav.
All the 430 students of Abhyasa participated in this programme consisting of cultural items.
As part of Abhyasa's policy of: ‘No child left behind' each kid got a role to play. Parents of students from different parts of the country were also present to encourage their children. Some of the issues or expressions depicted in this drama forced one to introspect and appreciate a child's point of view.
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Though the drama appeared critical of the prevalent education system, its intention was to explore a child's psyche in an adult dominated world. It examines the right to education from a child's point of view and questions this right vis-a-vis the child's right to freedom. It also examines the conflict of the value systems practiced in the different strata of the Indian society.
The story is that of a care free young boy named Raju, who lives in Gopalpur, a remote Indian village. He drops out of school because he wants to lead a happy life by working in a dhaba. At the dhaba, he overhears, some customers advising his owner not to employ children as they have a right to education.
The Chief Minister launches the Right to Education Programme in Gopalpur village.
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As a part of this programme the boy is given an opportunity to study in an international school in his neighbourhood. However, the boy experiences a culture shock and runs away from school.
His mother is shocked and persuades Raju to go back to school.Raju completes his studies with flying colours. He is forced to leave the school as the age limit for “free education” in that prestigious international school is over. His parents cannot afford his higher education.
Raju's childhood friends make fun of him as he is pushed out of the international school.
Some of his friends at least have a vocational training to fall back on but Raju has not really acquired any skills to fall back on.
Before the play, around 85 students presented a colourful dance ballet entitled Sri Gurubhyonamaha. This ballet depicts the importance of a teacher's role in shaping leaders. It begins with the ancient sage Vyasa and traces down to the contemporary Gurus.
The ballet covers a two-thousand year history and depicts Indian ethos which upholds the role of a Guru in shaping the character of an Individual and Society at large.