'I Saw How Kids Study While Braving the Sun in This Delhi Street School'

The street school is giving tuitions to around 250 kids inside temple compound for free.

(Photo: Vaishali Rastogi)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam

Education in India is not affordable for all, especially for parents who are dependent on daily wages. To help children who come from such households, I came across an NGO, Pehchan the Street School, in New Delhi's Indraprastha.

Over a weekend, when I went there, I saw that children were studying inside a temple compound in the scorching heat of Delhi where the temperature was hovering between 40°C and 45°C.

When I spoke to the teaching volunteers, I got to know that working professionals, students, and others offer tuition to these kids every Saturday and Sunday in the Anna Nagar Colony of Indraprastha.

"I come here because I like teaching kids and it's my hobby. These kids need it because apart from school, they don't have any other source of education. Our parents were able to provide us with good coaching and we were able to get a good education. But the parents of these kids are not in a position to do the same. I come here because whatever I have gained through education, I want to give back to society so that they can also do something for India."

Ishika Sharma, Volunteer

Ishika Sharma, a commerce graduate, volunteers to teach kids

(Photo credit: Vaishali Rastogi)

"I come from a middle-class family and I understand how difficult it is to send kids to coaching classes or tuition, and it's not affordable for everyone. This is a slum area and the parents of these kids cannot provide expensive coaching to them. So, I like teaching them for free."

Shreya Suyal, Volunteer

Shreya Suyal is one of the volunteers teaching the kids at the school.

(Photo credit: Vaishali Rastogi)

Pushkar Kumar, a very bright child studying in Class VII at a nearby government school, says, "My father works as a guard and my mother is a homemaker. They don't have money to send me for tuition classes. Therefore, I come here to study."

Pushkar Kumar, a class VII student, attends the weekend coaching.

(Photo credit: Vaishali Rastogi)

Irrespective of the weather conditions and the infrastructure of the surrounding, the dedication of these 250-odd children towards education is worth admiring.

"I have two daughters. One of them goes to school. Our financial condition isn't so great that we can give them private tuition. So, the street school is a huge relief. Sometimes, we are not able to buy books, pens, or pencils and those are also provided by them. Another advantage is that our children are away from bad influences. They are learning nice things and are doing well."

Pooja Jagdeesh, Parent

Pooja Jagdeesh, mother of a child studying at Pehchaan

(Photo credit: Vaishali Rastogi)

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