Tea Model Schools across Assam are making their impression on the ground and in the lives of students. From Amchong in Kamrup to Rajmai in Sivasagar, students have left behind their anxieties and taken to education thereby stemming drop out rates, and charting a future for themselves.
Take the case of Natasha Karmakar. Just a year earlier, this Class VIII student of Digaru Higher Secondary School was irregular in school for multiple reasons: location of the school, and economic hardship. Once the Amchong Tea Estate Model School started functioning from May 26, 2022, Natasha became regular to her new school.
The likes of Maini Ghatowar had a similar issue. Attending classes in her school near the Rajmai Tea Estate was the least of her attraction and those of her classmates, including Binita Ghasi. Instead, most of them opted to become daily wage earners. However, once the tea model school in their area came up, they reset their priorities. “I am regular in school nowadays,” Binita told this reporter.
When this reporter presented himself at the Rajmai Tea Estate Model School criss-crossing sylvan surroundings, a queue of students in hundreds became a sight to behold.
“The school has 197 students now. All of them are from the tea community. They are regular to school, generally. There are times when because of the indifference of guardians, attendance falls. We then send teachers to their homes to impress upon them the importance of regular attendance,” Jiten Nath, the Principal/Headmaster (In-charge) told Asom Barta.
Facilities for the divyangs are also in place in these schools. “No doubt, we need more facilities. I am sure that in the coming months, we will have them in place for this to become a complete school in the real sense,” Nath said.
The school has innovated its pedagogy as well. “Every Saturday, we teach music, dance, and debate. This has become an added attraction,” Gitarani Hazarika, a teacher, informed this newsletter. Today, the school boasts of the achievement of two of its students — Nabajyoti Phulmai, Rama Sonari — who have represented the State in sports like handball and football.
The Khongiya Tea Estate Model Higher Secondary School is nearly 10 km west of Rajmai. Narayan Gogoi, the Principal (In-charge) of the school, informed this publication that the school was rated ‘A’ during Gunotsav, a State-wise evaluation exercise of educational institutions. Its students later demonstrated their cultural prowess during an informal interaction with this reporter reinforcing the reason why the school was graded so highly.
“We have 191 students, and eight teachers. Ever since the school was established, we have been able to sense a greater degree of awareness on the importance of schooling in the area. Students now take pride in their school,” Gogoi said.
Upen Goswami, the State Teacher Award-winning Principal of Amchong Tea Estate Higher Secondary School, said that despite challenging circumstances there is an increase in overall attendance in the school. “At times, I personally visit guardians in their locality to convince them of the importance of education,” Goswami, who has a postgraduate degree in five subjects, told this newsletter.
“There are social and economic challenges in the tea community which, at times, prevent these students from attending schools. This require our intervention. By crossing these barriers, we can truly achieve our primary objective.” At present, 80% of the 160 students in the school are from the tea community.
“Debojyoti Gogoi, District Education Officer of Sivasagar, said that special attention was paid to the façade and interior of these schools so that they represent the concept of tea model schools. He said that this was one of the reasons why students are forming a bond with these institutions. At present, there are nine such schools in the area. Five of them are in Sivasagar while four are in the nearby Charaideo district. “We take special care to prepare students psychologically because we know that the atmosphere in their household is not very conducive. This is one of the challenges that we have on our hand,” he said.
