SOUL STIRRING.......

We decided to visit homes of Mythri team children who are writing 10^th standard examinations this year.  So, on last Saturday, we, the teachers and children were travelling to one of the girl's home.  After travelling for about 30 kms, she asked us to park our vehicles on the roadside.   Further, the road was not motorable.  We started walking.  That was my first visit to a slum.  She took us to her mansion!  Her father was in another alcoholic world.  Her mother hurriedly borrowed two or three mats from neighbours and spread them on the uneven ground, which was cleaned with cow dung. 

All of us entered her house bowing our heads, to save our heads.  We sat on the mats and there was no space left! Putting up a brave smile on her face, the girl’s mother welcomed us.   Knowing about our visit,  she had piled up all their belongings in a corner and camouflaged it with a bed sheet.   Of course there was no toilet.  They used the nearby canal for washing all. One incandescent bulb was hanging which was tapped directly from an electric post.  Many curious visitors were looking at us from the opening of the house.  Someone told us, “Badavara mane, Enu tilko bedi” [Poor people’s house, do not feel bad]   Someone else added, “Avarige gottide, Adakkee bandiddare”.

Thanks to the power of advertising!  Pepsi and Fanta have entered slums also.  Mother opened a Fanta family bottle and poured it into plastic tumblers.  She served us Good day biscuits and Bananas also.   Some woman narrated how girl's father does not care for the family.  He visits house once in a blue moon.  Mother often becomes a victim of domestic violence and the children silent spectators to this violence.  Mother told us, how she has left all the three children in 3 different free hostels.

While coming back, the mother accompanied us.  Some youth gave us curious stares, some indifferent ones.  It was getting darker and with a heavy heart and a pensive mood, we left the place.  While coming back our Teja’s remark broke the silence.  “Brother, when I grow and become a police, I will construct houses for all these people” 

About girl's Eduacation: She studied in three Government schools and finally bid good bye to school.  She worked as a child labour in Bengaluru, first as a child care taker and secondly as a domestic help for about two years.  Then she came home and started helping her mother. 

Thanks to the efforts of her relative, she again joined a free hostel run by an NGO and joined another Government school, only to drop out after a few months.  In November 2012,   another NGO brought the girl to Kaliyuva Mane- a free non-formal quasi-residential school.  The girl  was around 13 years old.  She did not have any educational documents like Birth certificate, Transfer certificate or progress report.  At Kaliyuva Mane she started learning from alphabets and numbers.  This year, the girl has appeared for 10^th standard public examinations in English medium through another recognized school.   Thanks to the excellent emotional ambience at Kaliyuva Mane which has changed the outlook of girl.  Kaliyuva Mane will strive hard to build her future. 

Some questions to the readers: Was there any school for this girl to learn? As per RTE Act, the girl could have joined age appropriate 8^th standard in any Government school.  But will such children be able to comprehend the lessons?  Is it possible for the teacher to pay special attention and start teaching alphabets and numbers to children like this girl among all other 8^th standard children?  Can 13 year old girl be integrated with 1^st standard children?  

Don’t you feel a new education system is required for these OUT OF SYSTEM/SCHOOL children? Can you please share, share & share this blog with your friends till it opens the eyes of our policy makers: including housing minister and human resource development minister Smt. Smriti Irani. Should RTE give only ‘Right to Schooling’ or ‘Right to Education’ also? Don’t you feel every educated person with values is an asset to his/her country in particular and to the world at large?  Our Education Minister Sri Kimmane Rathnakar has instructed the Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions, Bengaluru to take necessary action to grant approval to Kaliyuva Mane as a ‘school’.  But the Commissioner has written back to DDPI, seeking clarification, whether there is a precedence of giving approval for such a non-formal school.  DDPI is yet to reply and our anxiety continues.  

-          M.R. Ananth Kumar

Where is the school for these children?

An open letter to  Smt. Smrithi Irani

Hon’ble Human Resource Development Minister,

You are aware that natural resource and human resource are the two vital ingredients for the development of any country.  India has both in abundance. (Human resource in potential form!)  Education is the tool which transforms ordinary human beings into human resource.  Knowing this, the Government of India has rightly brought into force, ‘The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act’ (RTE).  I have given below brief profiles of 6 children, who have remained out of the ambit of education system.  As a citizen of India, I ask you a question, ‘Where is the school for these children to learn?’  I am confident that you will respond. 

Profile 1:  The name of the girl is Bhuvaneshwari.  [Name changed on request from the child]  She stays in Ekalavyanagara [impoverished colony] on the outskirts of Mysore city.  She belongs to Scheduled caste.  Her father is an alcoholic addict.  Both her parents are illiterates.  The atmosphere at home is not congenial for studies.  Father does not stay with the family always; some days he comes home.   Mother often becomes a victim of domestic violence and the child, a silent spectator to this violence.  Bhuvaneshwari studies in three Government schools and finally bids good bye to school.  She works as a child labour in Bengaluru, first as a child care taker and secondly as a domestic help for two years.  She does not like both the jobs, comes home and starts helping her mother.   Thanks to the efforts of her relative, she again joins a free hostel run by an NGO and joins another Government school, only to drop out after a few months.  She does not have any educational documents like Transfer certificate or progress report.  She does not have birth certificate either.  She is approximately 13 years old now.  As per RTE Act, she can join any free Government school again and sit in age appropriate class.  But without prerequisites and unable to follow the lessons, she will drop out from that school also. Is it possible for a teacher to do justice for such a child, without compromising on the interests of rest of the children? Where is the school for this girl to learn?  RTE gives such children right to schooling, but not right to education!]

[In November 2012, ‘Spiritus International Trust’ spotted her and decided to build her future by admitting her into a free residential school.   Thus, she landed up in ‘Kaliyuva Mane’, a free residential Non-formal school and gained interest for studies.  At present, she is preparing to face the coveted 10^th standard public examinations this year.]

Profile 2:  Swastic is the only child to their parents.  Both his parents are educated.  Father is a Government employee. Parents belong to an economically middle class family.  Swastic’s parents own a car.  They know the importance of education.  So, Swastic joins a reputed English medium school.  Unfortunately, he cannot cope up with the rigour of the mainstream schools and always lags behind in studies.  The child undergoes humiliation at the school.  Concerned parents change the school twice, but in vain.  Thanks to the prevailing education policy, he completes 9^th standard from St. Thomas School, Mysuru.  But his educated parents know the truth about the academic level of their son.  They become apprehensive about their only son passing 10^th standard examinations.  The boy is 15 year old.  Otherwise, he is mentally sharp.    But where is the school for this boy to learn? There is a film for the dyslexic but not a school ! 

[As a last resort, the child’s parents brought  him to Kaliyuva Mane (Kaliyuva=learning, Mane=Home) in April 2013.  School staff members advised the parents to get the assessment of the boy done by Clinical Psychiatrist of AIISH.  According to the report,  Swastic’s  IQ is 100, but academic level is 1^st standard.  Is the boy mentally retarded? No, the child is dyslexic.  (Learning disability) Because of the fine emotional environment at the school, he starts learning.  He is preparing to face the coveted 10^th standard public examination this year.  He has some difficulty in learning languages.]

Profile 3: Manu hails from Mellahalli located on Bannur road, on the outskirts of Mysuru. Both the parents are illiterates and belong to rural BPL Scheduled tribe family.    Manu is the second son.   Farming is the family profession.  Manu completes 1^st standard from a rural Government Kannada medium school.  He loses interest in the studies and drops out from the school due to multiple reasons such as inherent disinterest, rote teaching methods, lack of guidance at home, fear of punishment at schools etc.  Manu starts helping his parents in farming and taking care of the cows.  In the meantime, Manu's uncle Shivalingu, an illiterate who had learnt reading and writing attending literacy classes, motivates Manu to continue his studies.     But, Manu does not know anything else except to write his name in Kannada.   He is now 13 years old.  Where is the school for this boy to learn?  How much can he learn in one year as RTE covers only children of age range 6-14?  At least 6 months’ time is needed for him to regain the lost enthusiasm for studies.   

[On 9th April 2007, Manu joined Kaliyuva Mane.  In April 2012, at an age of 18 years, he passed 10^th standard examinations in English medium.  Then he underwent a training course at CIPET.  Now he is employed in an extruder company in Bengaluru.  Inspired by Manu’s success, his brother Mahesh, a 4^th standard school dropout also has joined Kaliyuva Mane.  Mahesh is preparing to face the 10^th standard examinations this year.] 

Profile 4:  Both the parents of Nitin are post graduates. [The boy’s name has been changed on his request.] Their qualification is M.A., B.Ed.  Both have teaching experience.   Currently the boy’s father is a practicing astrologer in Tamilnadu.  Nitin’s mother is the head mistress of a convent.  Parents belong to a middle class family.  They own a car also.   The boy studies in English medium private schools.  He always passes with ‘A’ grade.  But in 8^th standard his parents admit him to one of the reputed schools of Mysuru, viz Sadvidya High school.  Surprisingly, the boy’s academic performance starts declining.  He progresses to 9^th standard.  In one of the routine academic tests, the boy fails.  The school authorities ask him to bring his parents to the school.  His parents demand school progress report.  The boy is in a dilemma.  One day, he does not return home.  His parents are worried.   Finally his parents trace him.  The boy refuses to go to the same school after that incident.  The boy is 14 years old now.   It is September month.  His parents approach 3 more private English medium schools.  Unfortunately they refuse admission for this boy.  ‘Where is the school for this boy to learn?’

[As a last resort, in September 2014, Nitin’s parents brought him to Kaliyuva Mane.   Due to a very healthy emotional environment prevailing at that school, the boy was happy and so started learning.  He is preparing to face the 10^th standard examinations this year.]

Profile 5:    Prajwal’s father is not alive and belongs to a rural scheduled caste BPL family. His mother rolls Agarbathis and works as a domestic help for a living.   So Prajwal joins a rural private Kannada medium school.   Though Prajwal’s mother is an illiterate, she determines to give good education to her son.  The boy passes 5th standard and enters 6th standard.   But the child lags behind too much in studies.   So, Prajwal is brought to Kaliyuva Mane.  The school, conducts an informal test to find out the academic level of the child.   Performance of the boy in this test is dismal.   Then the child is taken to AIISH for an authentic assessment.  As per the report, his IQ is found to be 100, but academic level 2^nd standard.  The boy is now 11 years old.  The boy is mentally sound, not dyslexic, but has an academic lag of 3 years.   According to the report, he shows academic difficulties that needs to be addressed by evolving a learner paced, individualized activity oriented program.  ‘Where is such a school for this boy to learn?’  

[In June 2014, Kaliyuva Mane gives admission to this child.  The school arranges bus pass free of cost for the boy.  In 2015, the child’s mother joins garment industries.  So the boy joins the school as a resident scholar.  He is progressing well in this school, though his attitude has to change a lot! ]   

Profile 6:  Sridhar belongs to Harohalli village which is 25 Kms. from Mysuru city.  His father is an illiterate and works as a coolie.  His mother works as a teacher in Anganawadi.  His parents belong to scheduled caste rural BPL family.  He joins a close by Government school, but struggles to learn there.   So he loses interest in lessons, starts indulging in cross-talking.  This disturbs teachers’ concentration.  Agitated teachers scold him and sometimes punish him.  Lacking in prerequisites, the child fails to understand subsequent lessons.   The boy remains in the classrooms out of compulsions.  Teachers don’t have any other option except to promote him to next higher standards every year.  Somehow he completes 7^th standard.  His mother is aware that his son cannot read even 1^st standard Kannada lessons.  He is now 13 years old.  ‘Where is the school for this boy to learn?’

[His mother came to know about Kaliyuva Mane and its impact on the children. She came to know about the free pick up and drop transport facility, arranged by the school to their village.   So, his mother brought Sridhar to Kaliyuva Mane, in April 2014. The school staff members took him to AIISH for a psychological assessment.  As per the report, he was functioning at the level of Mild Mental Retardation.  He had 50% intellectual disability and learning disability.  His mental age was 4 years less than his physical age of 13 years. His IQ was 68.  Due to healthy emotional environment prevailing at the school, Sridhar enthusiastically started coming to the school regularly.  He can read Kannada lessons reasonably well now.   He sings well also.]

Respected Minister, do you know how many such ‘OUT OF SCHOOL/SYSTEM CHILDREN’ are there in India at present?  As per Annual Status of Education Report, more than 50% of children studying in rural schools suffer from an academic lag of minimum 3 years.  Any educated person with social concern can authenticate this. It is not right blaming the children/parents/schools/teachers/Education officers for this.  The problem lies with our Education system, which considers all children as machines with equal efficiency, designed to learn a predetermined textual content within a stipulated period, at a predetermined speed. As long as children learn happily this way, there is no problem.  When this does not happen, problems crop up. 

Respected Madam, the fact is that children have varied emotional sensitivities, varied learning interests and varied learning pace.  So, many mentally normal children are unable to reach the grades in regular schools.  But these ‘Out of school/system children’ also belong to this world. Don’t you feel the education of 50% of rural children is important?  Every educated person with values is an asset to his country in particular and to the world at large.  Don’t you feel when a photo does not fit into a frame, a new frame has to be designed to suit the photo?  Don’t you feel a new education system functioning on the philosophy, ‘school for CHILDREN’ rather than ‘children for SCHOOL’ is essential for the development of these ‘OUT OF SCHOOL/SYSTEM CHILDREN’?  

I have attached some details about Kaliyuva Mane, a free non-formal school where all these children are learning now, along with 100 such children.  It is an irony of the system, that this school which has gone beyond RTE Act, in giving educational rights to the childsren, lacks formal recognition as a ‘School’ and faces plenty of  hurdles from the education department.  I request, invite and urge you to visit this village school.  Who knows, you may find a new way of educating rural kids and training teachers.

M.R. Ananth Kumar

Mysore - 570008

9341369901, divyadeepa.trust@gmail.com

For chidlren’s documents (Certificates from AIISH & school records), copy and paste the link:

https://goo.gl/photos/hboXKULgTdqcgMNHA

An open letter to the Prime Minister

RTE gives only the right to schooling, 

not right to education to these children

Respected Hon’ble Prime Minister,

On 15th August 2015,  we will be celebrating 69^th Independence Day.   It is the time to celebrate, pay tributes to all heroes who got us this precious freedom and to rededicate ourselves for the development of India.  On this occasion, we would like to highlight a problem which has remained a hurdle in the path of development of our nation.  We also offer a possible solution to remove this hurdle!

Natural resources and human resources are two vital ingredients required for the development of any nation.  Fortunately India has both in abundance.   Education is the tool to transform normal human beings into human resource.  Every educated Indian with values is an asset to India in particular, and to the world at large. Keeping this in mind, ‘The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act’ (RTE) was formulated.   But, ‘Is this Act giving Right to education to all children? Or is it giving only right to schooling?   With the examples of 3 children, we are writing this letter to you.  We request you to read and act.

Example 1:  

Name of the boy is Prajwal and his age is 11 years.  The boy’s father is not alive. Boy’s mother lives with her child in a small house.  Mother rolls Agarbathis and works as a domestic help for a living.  Seeing the plight of the lady, house owner comes forward to sponsor Prajwal’s education.  So Prajwal joins a private Kannada medium school. 

Mother loves her son very much.   Though she is an illiterate, she determines to give good education to her son.  She takes care to see that her son goes to school regularly.  The boy passes 5^th standard and enters 6^th standard.   In spite of this, boy’s academic level is found to be at 2^nd standard.   Mother is not aware of this fact.  Is the child mentally retarded?  No, the boy’s IQ is 100.  Is this boy dyslexic? No.  According to the clinical psychiatrist of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, teachers’ pace of teaching should match the pace of learning of the child.  But, where is such a school?

Example 2:

Sattwik is a 15 year old boy.  (Name changed) He is a student of 9^th standard in a reputed English Medium school in Mysore. Both his parents are educated.  Father is a Government employee.  Parents belong to an economically middle class family.  Sattwik’s parents own a car.  Sattwik is their only child.  But unfortunately, Sattwik could not cope up with the rigour of the mainstream schools.  He always used to lag behind in studies.  The child was subjected to humiliation at the school. Concerned parents changed the school twice.  But it was not useful.   Is the boy mentally retarded? No.  He is bright.  As per the report of the clinical psychiatrist of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, his IQ is 100. But his academic level is at 1^st standard.  The child is dyslexic. (learning disability)  Where is the school for this boy to learn?

Example 3:

The name of the girl is Maheshwari.  [Name changed]  She stays in a slum on the outskirts of Mysore city.  Father is an alcoholic addict.  Both the parents of Maheshwari are illiterates.  The atmosphere at home is not at all congenial for studies.  Father does not stay with the family always; some days he comes home.   Mother often becomes a victim of domestic violence and the child, a silent spectator to this violence.  Maheswari studies in three Government schools and finally bids good bye to school.  She works as a child labour in Bengaluru, first as a child care taker and secondly as a domestic help for two years.  She does not like both the jobs, comes home and starts helping her mother.   Thanks to the effort of her relative, she again joins a free hostel run by an NGO and joins another Government school, only to drop out after a few months.   Now Maheshwari is 13 years old.  She does not have any educational documents like Transfer certificate or progress report.  She does not have birth certificate either.   But another NGO spots her and decides to build her future by admitting her into a school.  But where is the school for this girl to learn?

As per RTE Act, this child can join any age-appropriate standard in any Government school, free of cost.  So this child can join 8^th standard in a mainstream school.  But is it possible for the child to understand lessons?  If the girl is integrated with other 8^th standard children, is it possible for the teachers to teach alphabets and numbers to this girl?  Will the child not drop out from this school also, unable to comprehend the lessons?

Mainstream education system expects all children to learn a predetermined textual content within a stipulated period, in a certain way and at a predetermined pace.  As long as children learn happily this way, there is no problem. When this does not happen, problems crop up.   When a child cannot learn, she/he loses interest in the class, starts indulging in cross-talking.  This disturbs the teacher’s concentration.  An agitated teacher fails to do justice to her/his profession.  Lacking in prerequisites, the child fails to understand subsequent lessons.  This has a cascading effect.   Such a child either drops out of the school or remains in the school out of compulsions.  Teachers are pressurized to promote such children also to the next higher standards, irrespective of the children’s success in learning.  This practice, which is in vogue, has deprived such children of learning.

  

It is alarming to note that more than 50% of the children who are attending rural schools are suffering from a minimum 3 years of academic lag.  As per Annual Status of Education Report 2014, 51.9% of the 5^th standard children are not in a position to comfortably read 2^nd standard mother tongue text book; 73.93% of the children cannot do a simple 3 digit by one digit division sum.  RTE Act gives them Right to schooling; will it give these children Right to learn?   So we request you to amend this Act suitably so that each child gets an opportunity to learn.  A new education system should come into force which reaches out to these ‘OUT OF SCHOOL/SYSTEM CHILDREN’ also.

Presently all the three children are learning in our free non-formal school along with 100 more children.  Our school works on the philosophy, ‘school for CHILDREN, rather than ‘children for SCHOOL’.  Two of the children cited as examples are preparing to face the coveted 10^th standard public examinations, this year.  We are trying to create a successful education model for such ‘OUT OF SCHOOL/SYSTEM CHILDREN’ through this school.   A new education system is evolving here! The Hon’ble Education Minister of Karnataka has already instructed the Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions to take necessary steps to grant recognition to this school.  We are eagerly waiting for the recognition.  So there is a possible solution to this problem.    

We hope, this letter catches your positive attention and your Government takes suitable steps to amend the RTE Act, so that it becomes a Right to Education Act in a true sense. We listen to your ‘Man ki baath’.  We also request you to listen to ‘Hamara (common man’s) man ki bath’ and opportunity deprived children’s man ki bath.  We cordially invite you to our school, located in a village.  Jai Hind!

M.R. Ananth Kumar

9341369901

divyadeepa.trust@gmail.com

P.S.: To view  scholastic documents of  children, click on the link below:

https://goo.gl/photos/WCvxecd6D1FsFJ9n7

To know special features of Kaliyuva Mane education system, click on the link below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8t7d9R2HGUJWGt5SkFDWG1DYUk

To read Education Minister’s letter, click on the link below: https://goo.gl/photos/KvuQvrSn61dPbZzDA

  

Success story of Manu

We are very happy to share this success story.   Manu of Vivek group who successfully underwent training at CIPET, Mysore was selected in the campus interview.  He will be joining an Extruder company at Bengaluru shortly.   Total emoluments include  `11,000/-  + Free food and accommodation.  After 3 months he will be eligible for PF and ESI benefits.    Here is Manu’’s  brief profile:

Manu belongs to an economically backward, rural family.  His parents are illiterates.  He belongs to a farming community. (ST)  Due to inherent disinterest in studies, lack of proper guidance and due to rote methods followed in the mainstream schools,  he dropped out of the Government school after completing 1^st standard and started helping his parents.   In 2007, at an age of 13 years he joined Kaliyuva Mane – an alternative school for opportunity deprived children, to find his future.  There was no hope of schooling for him elsewhere.  Only thing he knew was to write his name in Kannada.  He has a simple name too!  In 2012, he passed 10^th standard examination with flying colours. 

He joined laboratory technician’s course.   Though he was good at work practically and  the  hospital team appreciated his dedication and work,  he found it too difficult to complete two theory papers.   He joined Central  Institute of Plastic Technology and underwent training.  Now at an age of 21,  he is a self-reliant citizen of India.  This is the aim and dream of Kaliyuva Mane – to transform rural opportunity deprived children into self-reliant citizen of India.  

Manu is a soft spoken person with steely determination.  His hobbies include marathon running and playing cricket.  He has learnt cooking.  He takes care of cows too!   With his amicable personality, we are confident that he will do well in any activity.  We wish him a bright future!

Transformation – Children’s court

For learning an uncluttered mind is necessary.  Love & Care are essential ingredients for an uncluttered mind.   Little freedom to explore things, freedom to fail and learn - are very necessary for the overall development of a child.   But uncontrolled freedom may be detrimental to the growth of a child.  Such a child may become an anti-social element later.  According to psychologists, Love and Control are both necessary for the healthy growth of a child.  

Keeping these factors in mind, ‘Parivarthane’ [Transformation]  a kids'  court was conceived.

Special features of Kids’ Court :

1.         This special place has been constructed by children and volunteers of Kaliyuva Mane.  This may not look beautiful, but it is the product of enthusiasm and hard labour.  So it is priceless.

2.         Children do quarrel.  It is natural.  Their disputes will be settled in this mock court.  A water proof petition box made from eco-chip board has been placed in the court.  Those who seek justice can drop the petition in this box.  For the time being, teachers play the role of the judge.  Gradually children will be trained to take this role. Judge will hear views of both the parties, collect relevant information from the witnesses and deliver the verdict.  Following transformation modes are ( punishments ) are planned:

(i)         The guilty has to pay a fine in the form of a ‘fine cheque’ to the Kids Bank which is functioning since 6 years.

(ii)        The child has to take part in any physical work of the school based on its age and physical stamina for not more than two hours per day. [gardening, cleaning, cutting vegetables, etc.]

(iii)       The guilty child will be made to sit alone in the court contemplating, skipping game sessions.

(3)        Children can file a public interest litigation regarding school rules and regulations

(4)        A confession box is also kept for sensitive children who would like to confess their mistakes and feel light hearted.           

It is 100% again !

Today 10^th  standard results are out.  We are extremely delighted to share our joy. All the 8 children from ‘Chinmayi’ team, who had appeared for the exams from ‘Kaliyuva Mane’ have emerged with flying colours, four of them securing first class.   7 of the 8 children belong to rural SC/ST families.  Few did not have any school at all to learn! Each one of them has crossed social/ economic /educational /emotional hurdles successfully and reached the goal.

All the children have passed in English medium taking Kannada as first language, English as second language & Sanskrit as third language.  As Kaliyuva Mane still lacks recognition as a school, children had appeared as private candidates for the coveted examinations.  So they were deprived of 20% internal assessment marks, instead they had answered questions for additional 20 marks. Here is the brief profile of each of them!

Koushik H.D. (18 years) hails from Haleyur from KR Nagara Taluk.  The boy lost his father a few months ago.  Mother is a housewife. She has studied up to 8^th standard.  The boy belongs to a rural poor family. 

The boy studied up to 4^th standard in a mainstream Kannada medium school.   The boy was good at sports.  So, he was admitted to Sports school at Chamundi Vihar stadium, Mysore as a resident scholar.  He won state level prizes in Athletics.  Afterwards he was admitted to Coorg Sports School as a resident scholar.  The boy could not adjust to the school.  He was academically lagging behind.  He did not progress in the field of sports also.  Somehow, he managed to complete one year there.  Then he dropped out of the school.  He was staying at home for one year. 

Then the boy’s mother came across an article about Kaliyuva Mane in a newspaper.  The boy was sent to Clinical Psychologist of All India Institute of Speech & Hearing, Mysore for assessment.  According to the report, he was a dyslexic boy.   Though his IQ was 100, his academic level was 4^th standard.    He joined Kaliyuva Mane as a day scholar in August 2012 and as a resident scholar in 2013.  He regained his lost enthusiasm for studies at Kaliyuva Mane.  Now he has successfully completed SSLC examination.  He did not utilize the benefits, he was eligible for, such as exemption from studying two additional subjects and additional one hour in exams etc.  He took the exams like a normal boy.  He owes his success to healthy emotional environment prevailing at Kaliyuva Mane.

Now he has passed SSLC examination in SECOND class. (56%)

Sanjay N. (15 years) hails from Srirampura village.    Father has passed 8^th standard.  Boy’s mother has not gone to any formal school.  The boy belongs to rural  BPL family.  Father is a mason.  Mother rolls Agarbathis in a private firm. (a temporary job) The boy completed 6^th standard from a mainstream Kannada medium school.  His father was not happy with the academic progress of his son.   So, for better education, his parents brought him to Kaliyuva Mane in 2010.   The boy joined as resident scholar in 2013.

Now he has passed the SSLC examination in FIRST class. (81.8%).  He has scored 90 marks in Science & 83 in Mathematics. 

Swamy S. (16 years) hails from Bogadhi.  Father has passed 7^th standard.  Mother has not gone any formal school.  The child belongs to rural Below Poverty Line family.  Father does gardening work in various houses (temporary job).  Mother is housewife and is maintaining a fragile health.   The boy completed 7^th standard from mainstream Kannada medium school.  

Once by coincidence his father happened to work in a house, whose owner happened to be an office bearer of Rotary Club West.  This noble hearted lady sympathized with the child and was instrumental for the boy’s admission into Rotary West School, Kuvempunagar.  But, due to lack of pre-requisites, the boy could not cope up with the studies there.   So, as per the advice  of the same lady, the boy’s father admitted his son to Kaliyuva Mane, as a day scholar in 2012.  In 2013, he joined Kaliyuva Mane as a resident scholar.

Now the boy has passed 10^th standard in FIRST class. (69%)

Soundarya S. (15 years) hails from Mellahalli village.  Father did not go to any formal school, but learnt reading and writing from Divyadeepa.  So he knew the importance of educating a girl child.  He is a farmer.  Girl’s mother is a housewife. The girl belongs to a rural BPL family.

 

The girl’s father admitted her to a rural private English medium school in his village.  The girl studied there up to 7^th standard.   The school did not get permission to start 8^th standard.  Urban English medium schools demanded a huge donation for a seat in their schools.   So girl’s father brought his daughter to Kaliyuva Mane.  She joined Kaliyuva Mane as a resident scholar in 2013.

 

Now she has passed 10^th standard examinations securing FIRST class.  (69%)

Sushmitha P. (15 years) The child belongs to a rural BPL family.  In 2003, the girl’s parents migrated to Kenchalgudu village from Kollegala.  The factory, where the child’s father was working, closed down.  The girl’s father was jobless for more than 6 months. One of the well-wishers of Divyadeepa introduced the family to Kaliyuva Mane. Child’s father started working at Divyadeepa.  In 2005, the girl joined Kaliyuva Mane as a day scholar.  The girl has not attended any other formal school.  Currently, the girl’s father works as a cooking assistant in BCM Hostel, Kuvempunagar.  Mother works as Anganawadi teacher.

Now the girl has passed 10^th standard  in FIRST class.  (62%) 

Manju B. (16 years) hails from Dhanagalli.  The boy is motherless.  The boy’s father has passed 9^th standard.    The child belongs to a rural BPL family.  The child’s father works in a private factory.   The boy completed 2^nd standard from a mainstream Kannada medium school.   Because his friends had joined Kaliyuva Mane, the child also expressed the desire to join Kaliyuva Mane.  So the child’s mother brought Manju to Kaliyuva Mane in 2007 and the boy joined as a day scholar.  In 2010, the boy joined Kaliyuva Mane as a resident scholar.

Now the boy has passed 10^th standard in SECOND class. ( 58%)

Chandra M. (15 years) hails from Dhanagalli.  The boy’s father has studied up to 8^th standard.  The boy’s mother has not gone to any formal school. The child belongs to a Scheduled caste Below Poverty Line family. Both the parents work as labourers.  (Temporary job) The boy had completed 7^th standard from a rural mainstream Kannada medium school. 

The boy was eager to join child centric school, Kaliyuva Mane.  So his father brought him to Kaliyuva Mane in 2012.   We noticed that he had an academic lag of minimum 3 years.  In 2014, he joined as a resident scholar.   Now the boy has passed the 10^th standard.  

Chethan R. (15 years) belongs to Kenchalagudu village.  His father is an agriculturist.  His mother is housewife.  The boy belongs to a middle class rural family.  His parents have studied up to SSLC.  

He had completed 6^th standard from a rural mainstream Kannada medium school. He was finding it difficult to cope up with studies.   So he requested his father to put him at Kaliyuva Mane.   So the boy joined Kaliyuva Mane in 2010 as a day scholar.  Now he has passed SSLC.   

On this happy occasion, we express our sincere gratitude  to patrons of Divyadeepa, to our dedicated teachers, and to our enthusiastic volunteers.  

We congratulate the children who have achieved this feat and wish them a bright future!

Holi Hai !!!

Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is the most vibrant of all. The festival is filled with so much fun and frolic that the very mention of the word 'Holi' draws smile and enthusiasm amongst the people. Children particularly enjoy this festival to drench people from far and escape further drenching.

On March 8th, we the volunteers called 'vayam redefined' at Divya Deepa Charitable Trust planned an informal event of celebrating holi at our school Kaliyuva Mane. More than 60 volunteers from different colleges in the city including Sri Jayachamaraja College of Engineering, NIE, GSSS Engineering College, Mysore Medical College, Acharya institute of technology - bengaluru, P.E.S college of engineering – Mandya, Acharya institute of technology, etc turned out to celebrate the festival of colours with the children.

Celebrations began in the school playground. The volunteers arrived in the school bus just to get hit by the water missiles on the very first foot set on the ground. We then spent the next 3 hrs smearing each other with colours. Black, red, pink, yellow, blue etc all coloured fancy faces were like the theme for the day. Then the fun took a leap forward with the throw of water filled balloons; just to start with. It eventually turned out to be the fall of water filled buckets.

As the colours seem to end, we danced to the loud beats of music. Dancing with kids gives the joy of freedom, takes all the shyness away cause the kids challenge you with that very notion of "do you think you can dance even though your this bad?” We danced all the way long from Naagin dance to the very Lungi dance.

After long tiring period we nourished ourselves with sweet dishes gilebi and samosa on the menu. We were much interested in others portion of it rather than our own. This festival very much brings us in blend with the kids, eventually becoming one.

Festivals like holi not only bond us with the school children but also with volunteers from various places. This is how new friend requests are sent and received for ones benefit in education, progress of Kaliyuva Mane as well as other extracurricular activities.

At the end it was a day of fun, joy and celebrations. A day with the school kids is all you need to get a break from this unhealthy schedule of the society. We all volunteers bid farewell just for the day, and left with the joy and content that a child's smile gives one.