Shining Example

However,an association of teachers in government school decided that they would not let the disaster put an end to the hopes of these students for a bright academic career and better lives. The teachers under the banner of West Bengal Government Schools Teacher’s Association (WBGSTA) took the initiative to provide succour to these children. The teachers visited the bustee the next day and located the households that had students who were to appear in the Madhyamik examination. The teachers asked them how they could be of help to them in their hour of cisis. The students said that other than books and stationery they are keen to have coaching classes to which the teachers readily agreed.

Today these hapless students are engrossed in their studies for the board examination. They have got a new lease of life,as it were. They have books at their disposal and the best teachers of the state by their side to help them with their final preparation.

The teacher’s started tutorial classes of two-hour duration twice a day at Bidhangagar Governmernt High School. The association now has a panel of 20 teachers drawn from the best government schools in the state —- Hindu School,Hare School,Alipore Multipurpose Girls,Bidhanagar Government School,Ballygunge Government School and Howrah Zilla School. These teachers,on a regular basis,take classes for the students. Almost all subjects from mathematics,language papers,science and humanities have been covered so far.

Bapan Sardar,a class X student of Deshbandhu School in Muraripukur,was handed over note books,stationery and a geometry box in the first few days. Bappa regularly attends two tutorials. He says he would attend all the tutorials.

“I like the classes very much. All my friends will also be attending all the classes at the tutorial. Our books and notes have all been burnt so we want to prepare with the help of these teachers at the tutorials,” said Bapan Sardar.

Many teachers have taken out time from their busy schedule to come to the aid of the students. From the first day when teachers like Uttam Hatui from Hindu School and Somendranath Datta of Hare School took classes of mathematics while teachers Parna Chowdhury of Banipur BCM School and Amit Sen of Calcutta Anglo Persian Department took English classes. Each day a group of teachers come to Bidhanagar Government High School for taking classes.

Unlike the usual classes in schools the classes here are held for two hours at a stretch. This is followed by a lunch break and then next two hours of tutorial class.

“The classes are there for four hours in two batches. If the students are keen we are ready to extend beyond that in the month of February before the examination starts,” said Dipak Das,the general secretary of West Bengal Government Schools’ Teachers Association (WBGCTA).

Das said that other students from the locality have also sent them proposal to study in the tutorial classes and we will also accommodate them.

Das has been hopping from his Sanskrit Collegiate School near College Street to Bidhanagar Government School trying to ensure that the bunch of children get everything they need.

“We have established a very intimate student-teacher bonding in past few days. Now the students say that they want a particular teacher to teach the subject again,” he said.

The initiative has drawn the attention and applause from the highest level of the state government. Partha De,the West Bengal Education Minister,who retired as a professor of English in Bankura Christian College in 1998,in a rare gesture,went back to the classroom to teach students of a makeshift school in Salt Lake after almost 11 years on January 29. The minister could not resist himself from taking a special class. The minister pressed by students to take classes offered advice on how to deal with examination stress. De explained the students not to panic when the examination is around,and keep attention focused.

“Ask questions to the teachers. By asking questions you can clear your doubts and you can be more confident while appearing in the examination,” minister told the students. The minister told the students that they should have a good night sleep and speak to their loved ones before appearing for the examination. Later the minister said that he was touched by the initiative on the part of teachers and it also gave him a chance to be in classroom after nearly a decade.

Uttam Malangi,a class X student,is all excited after the class there. The house of Uttam,a student Deshabandhu School for Boys,was gutted in the fire and he says that he is getting the much-needed help from the teachers for preparing for the examination.

“The students had lost their registration and other documents which we are trying to arrange,” said Subrata Nadu,a teacher of Howrah Zilla School. Nadu says that the students had lost hope of appearing in the examination. Now they are confident of coming out with flying colours in the examination.

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