This mobile school teaches over one lakh poor children every day in parts of Mumbai and Pune
The Door Step School is an NGO that holds classes inside buses for children of slum dwellers, pavement dwellers, and construction site labourers in Mumbai and Pune.
A country’s development can be measured by its literacy rate and the importance it places on education. In India, there are quite a few initiatives taken up by the government that work towards boosting the education system in India.
Government initiatives apart, a few organisations and individuals have taken it upon themselves to work for the cause of education, especially for the underprivileged. Among these is Bina Seth Lashkari, Founder of Door Step School, Mumbai. For almost three decades, her NGO has been providing quality education to the children of slum dwellers, pavement dwellers, construction site dwellers, and other underprivileged kids.
Image: Edex Live
With seven buses as part of its fleet, the School on Wheels initiative in Mumbai alone has impacted the lives of over 50,000 children. The NGO conducts classes at four locations simultaneously with more than 100 students being taught inside a single school bus.
Speaking to Edex Live, Bina said,
“We found children in railway stations, near the Gateway of India, and other open areas and we start to teach them there. But this was not a good option as they couldn't concentrate and there were a lot of distractions.”
That's when Bina thought of the idea of getting a vehicle equipped with the basic items that a classroom ought to have, and have it go around the city in order to teach these kids.
“That's when we introduced this concept. The classes last for at least two to three hours and they are taught English, Mathematics and General Science,” she explained.
Image: Edex Live
On an average day, around one lakh students across Mumbai and Pune are taught by a team of 500 teachers, most of whom are women and former students of Door Step. Students who perform well are appreciated by the foundation, which names hitherto no-name alleys in their area after them.
For instance, an alley was named after 27-year-old Rehmuddin Shaikh, a school dropout who not only completed his BA but also emerged as a State-level rugby player.
According to The Better India, the road-naming activity has been carried out in three slums of Mumbai—Balasaheb Ambedkar Nagar Chawl at Cuffe Parade, Hiranandani Akruti Chawl in Govandi, and Maharashtra Nagar Rickshaw Stand Chawl in Mankhurd.
(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)
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