This village in Nashik has found its own way to tackle the poor quality of education and lack of infrastructure in government-aided schools. A week after Madsangri village began its boycott of the Vasant Dada Patil High School, they have started parallel classes for students under the supervision of the gram sabha at their local Gram sanskar kendra.The villagers have hired eight teachers from Nashik, bought a blackboard, chalk and passed a gram sabha resolution to run the government-aided school themselves. At present, all expenses are being met through public contribution.On June 12, when schools across Maharashtra had opened, only one student had walked into the Vasant Dada Patil High School, 13 km from Nashik city. The remaining 646 students had withdrawn their names.While agitating parents continue their fight against the school management, the Gram sanskar kendra has been converted into a temporary school to teach over 400 students.‘‘We are doing this because the children have told us in no uncertain terms that they will not go back to the school,’’ said deputy sarpanch Sampath Pekhale.In a special sabha organised on May 1, the village passed a resolution deciding not to send their children back to the school unless their demands were met. In numerous letters written to the government, the village has complained about the lack of facilities and poor education in the school.Moreover, the 15-year lease period given by the government to the controversial school has also expired but Samiti chairman Dilip Wavare claims that the trust has applied for renewal a week back.Wavare alleged that the drama is being orchestrated by a few people, who are pressurising villagers not to send their children to school. ‘‘We have 100 per cent results. What more do the parents want. We had plans to build a new building and improve facilities, but the villagers never gave us a chance.’’Pekhale, however, maintained that the school promotes cheating.The village has suggested that the government should either find an alternative society to run the school or hand it over to the villagers. They have also made it clear that they are not in favour of any government appointed administrator.
