Spiel Of A School

 

"Age is just a number"

One might have come across different case studies proving/ disproving this hypothesis '.An Individual can't learn as he or she grows older'. All of us have got an opportunity to get educated / be literates and we also know many of Indians haven't got the same. The literacy rate of India is 77.7 per cent.According to the report published by the National Survey of India, the Literacy Rate of India in 2022.

Reference:-https://m.timesofindia.com/education/news/international-literacy-day-2022-theme-significance-history/articleshow/94065106.cms

But how could we increase it? Of course there are different laws and acts implemented in order to provide education to everyone. Those laws are aiming the younger generation and believing the idea "Today’s youth;Tomorrow's future". A drawback of those laws are they are concerning children while everyone is in the same page of providing education to children,this person thought out of the box and gave a rise to this amazing Institution.

 This is a story of a school;that school which is located in a remote village named Phangane of Thane district,Maharashtra.This school was established in the year 2016 on The International Women's Day i.e March 8^th.Like every other school this school also imparts knowledge to the students through teachers.This school also works everyday.The highlight is not about an institute being successful inspite of being located in a remote area.

What sets this school apart from other schools is; it is the first ever school and also the one and only school for non-literate Women in India.

 This school is named  "AAJIBAICHI SHAALA".As the name itself suggests,the primary goal is to educate elderly women aged around 60-90 of age who never got an opportunity to study because of anachronistic stereotypes towards women which prevailed in their early years.The ‘Then Society’ didn’t allow women to get educated rather compelled them to work at home and look after their families. Sad reality is the young girls of that time didn’t have a voice of their own.Women were in the clutches of men.Though they wished to get educated and stand on their own legs they weren’t permitted to do so.Those women are finally able to get an elbow-room to study through this school.

Aajibaichi Shaala doesn’t have any fancy infrastructure but a basic campus which is set up in two living rooms in a farmer's house.The school timings is from 2-4 P.M i.e only 2 hours a day.The students of this school complete their household chores by 1.30P.M  and start prepping for their classes.Their uniform is dark Pink Nauvari(9 yards saree).The Grannies March to the school along their school bags on their shoulders with full enthusiasm.

The day starts by bowing to Saraswati Mata(Goddess of Knowledge) through prayers for 10 mins.The classes flying Start post this salutation to the goddess by the whole staff and the students.They learn rhymes,math tables,simple mathematics calculations,alphabets followed by words then sentences in the classes.Besides that these gorgeous ladies also learn techniques of craft,painting and gardening.Some of the Grannies suffer from hearing ailments while others have weak eyesight but those problems haven't ever dissuaded them from chasing their dream to study neither has the institution dispirited them for the same.Interestingly even the Grannies family members encourage and support them.There are other such problems which the Grannies and the institute face on a frequent sessions but their zeal to get educated make them all inconspicuous.All the Grannies have an undying wish to be able to sign their own names when banking and during other transactions.They are working hard towards it.

The mastermind behind quenching this thirst of all the Grannies' dream to study is Mr.Yogendra Bangar.Mr Yogendra Bangar was successful in encouraging these women so much that they have shown myriad level of tenacity and gallantry of stepping out of their houses and opting to work on building their better self through advancing towards their wish of learning to read and write rather than taking it easy and rest at home like other’s of their age prefer to.Them showing interest and stepping out is itself is a milestone and an inspiration to many to avail the opportunity.Age hasn’t  constrained them in their trail of learning.Age is something inevitable,you keep growing older but if you nurture a childlike heart and mind within you then you are never old.So according to me the grannies are not at all old as they carry that childlike curiosity,energy and innocence in them.Altogether they are leading an educational revolution in their village and in the country.

The school is gaining its popularity and is being recognized by many content creators,jounalists etc.Not only on those platforms but these grannies and Mr Yogendra Bangar have made their appearance in Amitabh Bachan’s show “Kaun Banega Crorepathi” aswell. He is nothing but an Unsung Hero and this fact remains arcane.Him being my mom’s friend I have heard a lot about his unplumbed effort and the snags he came across in his journey of this school. Simply concluding by stating “Age becomes an issue only if you mind;if not it doesn’t matter in anyway. It’s in your hands to choose between mind and matter.”

AAPTI PATWARDHAN