A zari worker took a half-day leave to see his daughter’s project on germination.
The father who could study till Class VI was a proud parent as he saw his daughter, a student of Class IX, explain the process of germination to him across the table.
Parents, many of who are daily wage earners and have barely attended school, came to see their children’s science experiments, clay models and paintings at an exhibition organised in the interiors of Howrah’s Bagnan.
There were students who showed the eruption of a volcano, how a fire alarm works, rainwater harvesting and also projects in English explaining the three tenses, for example.
Over 140 students from classes VI to XII exhibited their projects during a twoday exhibition at Howrah Vivekananda Siksha Kendra in Bagnan.
Students of the Bagnan school with their projects
It was a rare opportunity for these children unlike their urban counterparts for whom such activities are part of the annual calendar.
“This was a first for most of them and it gave them an encouragement to see their work on display,” said Tanmoy Patra, founder of Howrah Vivekananda Siksha Kendra.
Patra had asked the students to request their parents to visit the exhibition because that would make parents realise what their children are capable of.
“There are parents who after a point of time decide to discontinue their children’s education. The boys are sent to work and the girls and married off. We want to change that mindset,” said Patra.
Ashok Bairagi, father of Nabanita and a zari worker, did not mind giving up on half a day’s income for once despite their strained financial condition.
“At times it is difficult to buy textbooks. But I was happy that my father was able to see how I try to make the most of what he does for me,” she said.
The students also brought out topical issues like child labour, environment conservation and Covid vaccination awareness and blood donation camps through their paintings and displays.
“We had many villagers as audience and we had seen how many of them were opposed to taking vaccines. So we had that as a counter as well,” said Class XI student Sumona Pal.
For some children, education is a privilege because financial constraints at home often push them into child labour. A student made a painting where a boy was divided into two halves, one half is in school uniform and the other half going to a factory to work.
“We repeatedly keep asking parents where are the children when they do not turn up. These are efforts to bring them to school,” said Patra.