So much to teach, so much to learn!

Drishti, an 8 year old girl from Dharavi has never been so thrilled to go to school as she was that day. It was Saturday after all. What’s so special about school on Saturday, you ask? Because on Saturdays, she gets to meet her didi-bhaiyyas, she gets to learn something new that she has chosen to learn. She gets to spend 3 hours creating a positive change in her personality and build a better future for herself.

The disparity in the Indian education system is glaring. There are approximate 400 million children in India right now who are in the age group under 18. They are in an age group where they are meant to get formal education and prepare themselves for the vagaries of life. Unfortunately, at least 35 million children aged 6 - 14 years never attend school. This number though grave, is better than some decades ago. The enrolment has increased significantly. But here’s one more fact: According to Niti Aayog’s ‘Strategy for New India@75, 53% of the high school graduates are Unemployable. It means more than half of the “educated” Indian youths lack skills to get a job. The condition is amazingly worse with engineers. The number stands at a whopping 80%. Skill-building is the crying need of this generation.

The Indian education system has been plagued by many ills. Lack of infrastructure, legacy systems, poor digital knowledge, lack of industrial connect and many others. Most important out of this is the Teacher-Student parity. There are not enough teachers for the students. Wait, let me correct myself, There are not enough skilled and trained teachers for the students.

This exact problem is addressed by many NGOs through different paths. One such is “The Apprentice Project”. Founded by “Teach for India” alumni and corporate individuals, this is one platform which involves youth in addressing the colossal problem of skill building of the young generation from underprivileged backgrounds. Youngsters from different backgrounds – corporate, students, working professionals come together to give back to their society, on the most vulnerable front.

When I enrolled for volunteering with TAP, I was not so sure. But when I came to know the severe problem that we are facing, my resolve only got firmer. In the due course of the next year, I will be facilitating as a ‘Public Speaking’ for young kids from not so privileged background. With a commitment to education equity, collective action and will to personal transformation, I am sure I will be able to give back to this society, who has done so much for me.

This Guru Pournima, let us take a moment to appreciate the roles our teacher played in our lives. Let us take a moment to try to play the role for someone in need. For it is only when the privileged of us step forward and do our part, would we be able to leave a better world for the coming generations!