Parvati (name changed) from Korba district in Chhattisgarh, is embarking on a new journey of dreams today. At the tender age of twelve, her eyes are filled with big dreams. For a long time, despite the school being close to her home, she was not able to access education. But now, with access to books and better teachers, she is aspiring to become a teacher and has started nurturing the courage to free her family’s mortgaged fields. She believes that one day she will have enough money to release the mortgaged fields and support her grandmother.
Just a few months ago, *Dainik Bhaskar* published a news article with the headline, “The largest block (in Korba) is still lagging behind in higher education.” In January 2023, NGO Aspire surveyed 77 out of 114 panchayats in the largest block, Pondi Uparoda, to assess the educational status of children aged 6 to 14 years. The survey found that in these 77 panchayats, a total of 1,712 children were out of school. These children fell into two categories: 792 had never attended school, while 920 had discontinued their education for various reasons. Parvati from Navapara belonged to the first category. Despite living just 500 meters from the school, she had spent the first twelve years of her life doing household chores and had never had the opportunity to attend school.
If the education situation is so challenging in just one block, what might it be like if we consider the remaining four blocks? This situation is particularly ironic because Korba, Chhattisgarh, is one of the most resource-rich districts in terms of natural assets. Parvati’s neighbour, Bhagwan Singh, shares his concerns: “We have witnessed some children leave school to help with household chores and farming. What other choice do they have? Their assistance is crucial for the completion of household work.” These children’s labour serves as a necessary resource for rural families. Parvati’s brothers, too, left school after finishing fifth and sixth grades to work in farming. However, Bhagwan Ji also points to issues with the education system, stating, “If school teachers provided quality instruction, perhaps fewer children would have dropped out.”
Parvati is from the Gond community, which has a significantly lower education level compared to other communities. Her grandmother, Karn Bai, is around 65 years old. When asked about the family’s circumstances, she reflects, “We used to manage our livelihood through farming, grazing, and tending to our oxen and goats at home. However, it seems as though misfortune befell our family, and everyone became preoccupied. About a decade ago, Parvati’s father passed away.” Karn Bai becomes emotional remembering that day and says, “My son went fishing at night and never returned. People found him dead on the banks of a stream.” Parvati herself is unsure about the circumstances of her father’s death. Her grandmother attributes it to a snake bite, but the villagers have different theories. After her father’s death, the children took on significant responsibilities despite their young age. Karn Bai explains, “The older son began managing the small farm with his mother, and the younger son took care of the cattle.” At the time, Parvati was only two years old.
As time passed, the situation at home deteriorated further. The fields were mortgaged to run the household. When Parvati was about 6 years old, her mother remarried and left. This was the age when Parvati should have started going to school, but even though the school was only a few hundred meters away from her house, she was miles away from it. After her mother left, the responsibility of the entire household fell on her grandmother, and Parvati had to help her.
Parvati’s grandmother recalls, “We considered sending Parvati to school, but she was needed at home. She did everything, from cooking to cleaning, fetching water, washing dishes, and even taking the goats out to graze.” Parvati continued these responsibilities until she was 12. Parvati herself said, “I wanted to go to school with my friends, but there was too much work at home. I didn’t want to leave my grandmother alone.” Girls often have a closer relationship with their mothers or grandmothers, perhaps understanding their needs better than boys.
Parvati has now begun her education at the residential bridge course center run by ASPIRE. Karan Bai, reflecting on her youngest and beloved granddaughter, says, “She used to handle all the household chores, but now she’s attending the ASPIRE center. That’s great! At least she will learn something there instead of ending up working as a laborer like her brothers.” Karan Bai hopes her granddaughter will pass her intermediate exams so she can secure a good job.
ASPIRE staff member Indira Kurum, GPCM from Nawapara, explains, “Parvati was quite old by the time we got involved and tried to help her start school. She needed extensive preparation to be ready for her grade level, which required attending the Residential Bridge Course (RBC) center in Rampur.” Convincing Parvati’s family about this was challenging. Her grandmother questioned, “Why go so far to the Aspire center when the school is nearby?” Indira’s persistence finally convinced the grandmother. However, Parvati was reluctant to go to a new place. She would cry at the thought of attending a residential learning center in another village.
ASPIRE has established two residential bridge course centers in Pondi Uparoda—one for boys and one for girls. These centers cater to the educational needs of children by offering accommodation, meals, and education through current, research-based pedagogy. The centers aim to bridge learning gaps and prepare children for enrollment in public schools. In September last year, Parvati was enrolled in the girls’ RBC center in Rampur.
The teaching approach at the RBC centers is fundamentally different from that of government schools. At the centers, the instructors prioritize teaching children according to their interests and in their own language, using creative educational activities and Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs) to make learning engaging and accessible. By fostering a supportive learning environment, ASPIRE helps bridge the learning gap for children, enabling them to enroll in age-appropriate classes and continue their studies.
RBC teacher Rajeshwari Ji explains, “Whenever a new child arrives, they initially face some challenges in adjusting. Everything here is new to them, so it takes them a few days to adapt. Parvati, for instance, was initially quiet and kept to herself. However, as she made new friends and participated in engaging activities such as stories, poems, and games conducted by teachers, she soon began to mingle with everyone.”
Rajeshwari underscores the importance of conducting all activities in the children’s native language to effectively connect with them. Additionally, she emphasizes the significance of focusing on health, cleanliness, and nutrition. She explains, “Many children come from situations where even getting two square meals a day is challenging. For these children, timely meals and snacks are essential for their physical development.”
After a month at the center, Parvati began to take an interest in her studies and playing with her peers. Now, after living there for four months, she has made significant progress in understanding numbers, recognizing letters, solving puzzles, and learning about fruits and colors. Moreover, while staying at the residential bridge course center, Parvati has started to dream about her future. She says, “I want to become a teacher, educate children, and also earn enough money to free my family’s mortgaged fields. I want to do whatever it takes to make my grandmother happy.”
Like Parvati, around 60 other girls, including Sushila, Kaushalya, Ranu, and Poonam, are living and studying at the Girls Residential Bridge Course Center in Rampur. These girls, who come from the Hasdeo River Valley, have become a ray of hope for their communities. The center operates under the program “Jan Pahal,” which is implemented by Aspire and funded by The Hans Foundation. In other blocks of Korba district, many girls like Parvati and Sushila also require residential learning structures to access their right to education.
