A drop of Educational revolution

This is an excerpt from a conversation I have had with one of my friends who has been the recipient of many accolades for her service in increasing access to healthcare and and education in rural areas. She requested anonymity and therefore will not be mentioned explicitly. Here’s a short interview (Constrained due to work through Covid times) I held and her answers to these questions.

What has been your motivation to work in the direction of education?

I have always been very fond of teaching. I had been volunteering in NGOs that support education right from the time when I was in school. It was when I started earning that I had some power to be able to fund to increase the accessibility to education for children in the village near my city. I come from a small household and the education that my parents worked very hard to provide me is what majorly helped me in securing the financial standing I have today.

We are all born with many differences and we can’t choose what we are born with. Education is an equalizer that helps reduce the disparities that economics creates in our lives. Access to quality education is something that should be provided to everyone. People like us who now have the privilege and are reaping fruits from our education should take the responsibility to move the needle as much as we can and create kind and nurturing support for kids who don’t find that environment.

What do you think is the most important thing that children currently need?

Support & Access. Majorly access first. Then quality. For people in the city, there are endless resources with an internet connection in hand. This is a problem for rural areas where the basic necessities like water and sanitation are not available, keep aside good-speed internet. And when internet is accessible, some direction in regards to how they can progress, the interests they have, the opportunities that they could make use of could be greatly helpful.

The curiosity in children is always endless. So education in a way that doesn’t repress that curiosity, or worse kill it entirely is important. In any area, regardless of the situation, the adults should take the responsibility of guiding the children, not charting their entire path. In rural areas, these paths are either closed off due to the lack of financial resources or are more often than not constrained.

So, for children to move forward, support from adults in the paths they choose is important. Children are almost always in a helpless situation to find their way ahead for they don’t have much experience. Adults have to try their best is using their experience as a way to boost them forward and not confine their ways ahead.

What are some suggestions you would give to someone who is looking to get started in this direction?

Learn. Learn how to learn before you teach. Learn how to teach before you educate. Find people who can help you with this but get started sooner than later. There is a dire need for good educators and it isn’t spoken of enough. Whatever you teach, do it for the love of the subject. It is only when you learn and love your subject (&subjects) with passion that it translates to the children around you.