By Smriti S. Raj
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “the soul of India lives in its villages”. In the twenty-first century, this statement still stands true. More than half of the population of our country resides in villages, which are the backbone of our nation, and therefore, it becomes imperative that the “soul of India” is also given equal opportunity as the urban population in terms of progress and advancement in social, economic, and political spheres. This would enable them to establish and initiate a better standard of living, which would, in turn, help in the growth and development of the nation as a whole.
At the same time, development and urbanisation of rural areas cannot be synonymous with modernisation and industrialisation of urban areas. We take great pride in the amalgamation of our immense repertoire of cultures and traditions. Therefore, development in the rural context should differ from the urban in that it must be carried out in such a manner that the ethos of the village, which lies in its culture, tradition, and way of living, is kept intact.
It is oftentimes propounded that in order to grasp and determine the development of a nation, one only needs to turn to the condition of the existing education system and the state of affairs of its women. Unity in diversity has been a time-honoured value in our country. This is a premise that can be adopted in the realm of education as well, with the necessary tweaking as per the context to which it caters. In light of the foregoing and with regards to the education system of the villages, the government has adopted distinctive policies that adhere to the particular needs of the rural populace.
One such example is the establishment of Ashram schools in areas where the demography does not permit the operation of the conventional form of school education. These schools were established particularly to meet the needs of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and also from people living below the poverty line. Dr. Radhika Kapur, a researcher, describes the function of Ashram schools as follows:
“The concept of Ashram Schools is derived from the term ashram, which has its origins in ancient India. It is also known as the household of the teacher. In one sense, the guru and his wife provided care and support to the students that is conducive for their enrichment of personal life.”
Ashram schools found their genesis in 1922 in Gujarat. However, it was in the 1960s when they were formally introduced. They were adopted by the government on an experimental basis, which was ultimately adapted successfully. Ashram schools provide boarding and lodging to the tribal students free of cost, which cancels out one major hindrance to the access to education, which is financial availability. This, in turn, also serves as an incentive for the parents to send their children to school, the alternative to which is engaging them in paid or unpaid labour. These schools are situated in areas where accessibility is limited in terms of geography, economy, transportation, thereby catering to students from a cluster of villages. The medium of instruction is the regional language, especially in the first two years of education. It is observed that when the medium is an alien language, the drop-rate is seen to be higher. Moreover, as Dr. Kapur notes, “the receipt of education through the medium of their mother tongue also assists in the adoption of the cultural idiom of the community.”
However, due to the increasing levels of competition with the urban areas, this paradigm has shifted as the villages are trying vainly to imitate the urban system of schooling. The environment and factors which provide and contribute into the overall development of the child gets lost in the process, thereby, it has led to a collective amnesia of the primordial vision of the model of Ashram schools.
The implementation and functioning of the Ashram schools is done not only by governmental organisations but also non-governmental organisations and private organisations under their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities. Such organisations aid these schools in terms of need assessment and availability of resources, which could also be water, electricity, land, and time, in addition to other basic resources. BAIF (Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation) Development And Research Foundation, which is an NGO based in Pune, Maharashtra, has implemented their Shikshan Mitra Program (SMP) in more than fifteen districts of Maharashtra. Through SMP, they have been trying to bridge the aforementioned gap that has come to pass due to the failed emulation of the urban form of education. More often than not, ultimately, they are forced to take up unskilled, unorganised jobs, which do not provide reliable income as their education tends to be not up to the competitive standards of the urban areas.
What makes the Ashram schools under this program stand out is their holistic approach to education which does not restrict them to standardized textbook knowledge only, but also includes education in terms of life skills and practical knowledge in relation to their context, environment, tradition, culture, lifestyle, and community. This, in turn, not only helps to keep their traditions alive, but also helps them to be aware of their importance on a larger-than-life level. This form of education opens up new avenues of career opportunities based on natural and other resources in rural-tribal areas itself. This helps in bridging the gap in terms of their quality of formal education.
The stakeholders—from the student representatives to the principal, teachers, and non-teaching staff—work in concurrence with the organisation’s staff members as a team in order to list out their needs and solutions. This helps in the understanding and smooth functioning of the program. They come up with a list of activities that can be worked upon, an annual list is prepared, and the teachers can decide which activity to work upon. Student committees are formed for these activities, which is monitored by the BAIF members also- from assessment to planning to execution. Once the students are trained, the responsibility is given over completely to the school. The activities can vary from sanitation and health campaigns, to cultural and traditional practices like floriculture, vermicompost, kitchen gardens, horticulture, handicrafts, agriculture, tribal artforms of painting, music, dance, drama. In this process, not only are technical skills fostered, but also life skills like problem solving, teamwork, planning, leadership, and building a sense of community among the students. Learning by doing is the core focus of such a program. A core component of this form of implementation is self-evaluation, wherein shortcomings and progress are annually discussed in order to renew and improve the program effectively.
One can conclude that in order to help and foster development through education, one has to adopt and adapt in accordance with the milieu that encompasses participation from all stakeholders, motivation from educators, and most importantly, qualitative assessments. While there can be no standardised holistic form of education, in order to smoothen the crevices of our educational topography, we can take inspiration from such models of learning which aim to be inclusive, integrated, and multi-faceted.
Smriti has done her BA in Literature from Hindu College, Delhi University and MA in Literature from Jamia Millia Islamia University. She is also an Alumna of SBI Youth for India Fellowship.
In a room of her own, you will often find Smriti speak to spectral masked vigilantes who save the world of mortals during nocturnal hours. As a sensorial hybrid, she believes in the sight of bright colours, sound of mountain rivers, loving touch of jumping puppies, and fragrance of old books. Smriti aspires to work as a teaching faculty to create a dialogic classroom space with vibrant discussions.
Great work done Smriti 👍
It was really an insightful article giving us some knowledge about the insights of our society. Keep writing for common readers like us😊
We need more people talking about access to education and what means at rural levels in india. Insightful, Smriti! 🙂
One of the best works I have come across in recent times. It’s very well researched and since I know the writer personally, I can see her personal interactions and experiences with regards to the village life and education being reflected here as well. Even if I hadn’t known the writer, through her writing she is able to connect to everyone and is being able to make them understand at their level. One of the best articles written for people who are not aware about it (almost everyone). The personal touch makes all the more difference.
Great work. Keep it up.
This piece makes India’s educational future in the bucolic settings look brighter! There’s seems to be hope. Thankyou for this.:)
It is very well researched and articulated, Smriti. The article talks about the education at its grassroot level and how we need to connect at simpler and personal levels.
We need more people like you in our society who can march the change we need.
Keep up the great work!
Thank You for making me aware of this system. Through your earlier on-field experience I was exposed to a new reality where young minds like you were trying to give it back to the society by getting actively involved in rural projects. This time, your words shall make me know many more realities.
What an insightful piece of writing, highlighting a learner-oriented method of education that is localised and particularised as an organic means of achieving holistic growth. Thank you for making us aware that we are moving forward from mere imitation to innovation. Very well articularised.
A great work done. It has given an insight of the traditional education system prevalent in India of ancient times. It gives the current generations awareness about such a system which can be appropriated in present times, too.