Nabanita Deb Sen hands books to a Madhyamik passout as Kamal Basu looks on . Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray

Tulika Roy of Giribala Sarkar Balika Uchcha Madhyamik Vidyalaya wants to be a teacher and help her father run the family. “We have a small grocery store. My parents have to struggle to get me educated. I do not want to let them down.”

Priyanka Mondal of Saraswati Balika Vidyalaya dreams of becoming an engineer one day. “With five mouths to feed in our family and one earning member, it becomes difficult to make ends meet. I want to start earning soon and help my family.”

Abhimanyu Das of Town School wants to start a car business. “It’s a booming industry with lots of potential. But financial constraint stops me from dreaming big. I have to complete my education first.”

They are not alone. Fifty such students —hailing from marginalised families in North Calcutta — who have successfully passed their Madhyamik examination were given textbooks by Sutanuti Boi Mela Committee and Amway Opportunity Foundation (AOF) on July 19 at the residence of the committee’s president Kamal Basu.

Also present on the occasion was author Nabanita Deb Sen, former state finance minister Ashok Mitra and physicist Bikash Sinha.

“We are conducting the Sutanuti Boi Mela since 2004. Since last year, the proceeds of the fair are being utilised to distribute textbooks for needy students. Last year we could help only 20. This year the number of students is much larger,” says Saibal Biswas, treasurer of Sutanuti Boi Mela Committee.

“We approached 15 schools in the Sutanuti area and requested the headmaster to give us names of such students who cannot afford books,” he adds.

“Holding Sutanuti Boi Mela is important as it can help many children realise their dreams,” said Kamal Basu.

Some of the schools include The Oriental Seminary, Bagbazar Multipurpose Girls School, Ahiritola Banga Vidyalaya, Shyambazar AV School.

“We consider it a privilege to provide books to these children and help them chase their dreams. It is our consistent effort to help underprivileged and physically challenged children in the field of education,” says Srabani Bhattacharya, member secretary of AOF.

“In such times of inflation, many students are forced to discontinue their education as they lack means to buy books. So those who can afford books should share it with those who have not,” said Ashok Mitra.

Author Nabanita Deb Sen added. “Education in our times was not as difficult as it has become now. If one person can provide education to one illiterate child in a lifetime that will be the greatest help to the society.”

Jhinuk Mazumdar

Shout out loud

What’s on your mind this week

Sudeshna Basu sings with kids at an interactive Rabindra Sangeet workshop at Oxford on July 25. Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray

Schoolboy woes

The Oxford dictionary describes confiscation as taking or seizing (property) with authority, appropriate to public treasury as a penalty.

What it doesn’t mention is how sad children feel when teachers “confiscate” things in school.

I can understand if teachers take away something that may cause harm like a weapon, or crackers or medicines that a child may have brought to school. But why take away toys and books? Aren’t schools supposed to encourage reading and games? Whenever a child gets a new toy or gift he usually wants to share it with his friends.

However many a times their treasures are snatched away by some strict teacher.

I remember the time I lost a blue rubber truck that way. How I bawled! Wouldn’t it have been better if the teacher had simply asked me to put away the toy? I cried all night for my favourite possession. My mother remembers a Hindi teacher who had confiscated an Enid Blyton book that she was reading sitting near the staff room. She still misses the book and remembers the teacher. A sad way to remember a teacher don’t you think?

Surjo Chakravarty

To sir with love

Students of Delhi Public School, New Town celebrate Grandparents Day. Picture by Biswarup Dutta

At our school, learning is about thinking independently, questioning and analysing things that are taught in class. Recently, my friends and I were delighted to learn that a teacher from the US would be visiting us to teach science.

With 32 years of experience at The Ancona School in Chicago, Zeuss Preckwinkle was an instant hit with all the students. One of the most interesting lectures he gave was on natural disasters. Another topic that got us thinking was the scarcity of safe drinking water.

I was surprised that he hardly used any textbooks, but would instead teach with the help of small objects. His patience to make students think beyond textbooks has made us a little wiser.

Rajoshi Seth
The Cambridge School