Camps Visited:

Rajiv Camp

Sundar Nagari Camp.

We could not meet up with a lot of children as they were in school and we could not go to their respective schools. So, most of the feedback was shared by the parents.

The feedback was mixed with some parents happy with the schools and some very upset about other schools and teachers.

Rajiv Camp:

Met up with at least 15 parents, women only (men didn’t interact at all, either they are not involved in their children’s education in any way or they were hesitant to interact with us!).

  • All the women here were happy with their respective schools w.r.t. the principal’s, the teachers’ and the rich children’s behaviour towards their children. They didn’t have any grievance with regards to the general behaviour of school authorities towards their wards. Infact, some of them were very happy with the school as their children are performing well in studies and they said even the school authorities were very pleased about the same.
  • Although children are going to various schools, everybody wants to put their wards in Arwachin Bharti School. This school, according to them is better than other schools. Doesn’t discriminate against children, teachers are cooperative, admission forms are available easily, is upto 10th Standard, etc. Some of these children are performing well in this school. The admission process is transparent; Lucky draw for admissions.
  • The most important concern was the expenses (other expenses like books, uniforms, picnic charges, and various other charges that we know are there in Public schools!) which the parents have to incur. For instance, one of the parents whose 2 kids are going to Arwachin is finding it difficult to buy two sets of winter uniforms. She would probably have to take a loan for this!
  • The parents are not happy with the govt. schools and want to put their wards in Public schools (Arwachin precisely). However, the incidental expenses in the public schools put a big question mark on the future of these children in these schools. The inability to cope up with these pressures could lead to discrimination of these children sooner or later.

Sundar Nagari Camp:

Met up with 7 families (women again).

Children here are going to the following schools:

  • Greenfield
  • Nutan Vidya Mandir
  • Floradel
  • Greenway
  • HansrajSr. Sec.School
  • St. Lawrence
  • Arwachin Bharti Bhawan
  • NationalVictorPublic School
  • ArwachinInternationalSchool
  • Madhubala, whose daughter is in Nursery in Greenfields, says her daughter is made to sit at the back by her teacher.
  • Usha, another parent, feels that her son is not getting good marks in school though he performs well at home and in tuitions. She feels that the school authorities purposely don’t want to give her son good marks so that they can remove him later on this ground. She wanted some help in this regard. She was concerned about the idea of spending considerable amount on her child’s education and not getting the desired result. Another parent also had the same concern. Their wards are going to FloradelSchool. Parivartan volunteers also admitted to having problems with FloradelSchool like, admission forms are not being given by this school for the next academic session.
  • Parents whose children are going to Nutan Vidya Mandir, were happy with both the school authorities and the way their wards are performing here. They were motivated to send their other children also to this school.