NEWS: Slum children learn their lessons in IT capital

[Frederick Noronha <fred@bytesforall.org>]

Slum children learn their lessons in IT capital    (FEATURE)

by Imran Qureshi, Indo-Asian News Service

Bangalore, Apr 12 (IANS) She is eight, chirpy and ambitious. She wants to be
a doctor when she grows up.

Nothing unusual about that except that until a few months ago, little Noor
Fathima was not even going to school. Her parents, who belong to the
economically and socially backward section of society, couldn't afford to
pay for her education.

Then someone suggested to them that Fathima join the preschool programme,
called Balwadi, run by Akshara Foundation, a community service organisation
comprising corporate institutions, government officials and individuals in
this southern city that is often described as India's technology capital
because of the presence of so many software companies.

The foundation's Balwadi project, started two years ago, aims to get "every
child in school and learning" in Bangalore by December 2003. It is supported
by the Karnataka state government, the Azim Premji Foundation, Citibank and
other corporate houses.

"There is latent aspiration among uneducated people to educate their
children," says Rohini Nilekani of the foundation. "So the Balwadi programme
caught on like wild fire. We never really expected this kind of response."

Tuesday, the foundation recorded 19,763 pre-school students. Of them, 5,265
children have been admitted to formal schools and 791 dropouts have rejoined
school after a bridge course.

"It's true that poverty exists. But social priorities have changed. Parents
tell
our volunteers they also want their children to sing nursery rhymes in
English. They are even ready to pay more than Rs.10 per month for one
child," C.V. Madhukar, managing trustee of the foundation, told IANS.

The parents pay a token sum  -- it could be Re.1 or whatever they can
afford -- to instil in them a sense of responsibility for their children's
education.

An army of volunteers numbering 1,500 are teachers. All the volunteers are
from the same community as the students and the same social and economic
sections.

The Balwadi programme means a transformation for them too. Most of them,
aged between 18 to 25 years, were earlier sitting at home, doing nothing.

"Today, they are exploring new areas, approaching parents on their own,
organising preschool and bridge courses and expanding the network," says
Madhukar. "We don't have to do much except give a sense of direction."

About 300 of the 700 odd slums in Bangalore are under the umbrella of the
foundation.

"In India half the children going to government schools do not go through
preschool. About 25 percent children attend classes for the first three
years without knowing how to read or write," says Madhukar.

"Those who can pick up remain in school. Those who cannot are discriminated
against by the teacher, and often drop out of school. Parents also decide to
withdraw from school the child who's not doing well."

This is what the foundation intends to redress with its programme.

"It would not have been possible without government cooperation," says
Nilekani. "The state has an officer to work with the foundation."

--Indo-Asian News Service