The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Mission accomplished

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Thursday, Jul 17, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Mission accomplished

D.V.L. Padma Priya

Mastan Nagar Government Primary School seeks to put an end to child labour

–Photo: Satish. H

Meaningful education: The school in Jubilee Hills.

HYDERABAD: Synchronised chants reverberate in the air as one enters the insignificant looking building at Jubilee Hills. The Mastan Nagar Government Primary School, hidden behind the posh bungalows, is waging a war against child labour with the help of books and pens.

Initially started with strength of 30 students, the school now has 300 students enrolled from pre-school to standard five. The five Vidya Volunteers are on a mission to eradicate child labour in Mastan Nagar. Nearly 250 students attend school regularly. The school, which was identified two years ago by Leigh Ann Gilbert, wife of the former India director of Google, is now supported by many corporate social responsibility programmes and organisations such as Project 511 and MV Foundation. Majority of the students are children of construction labourers and the teachers have problem retaining them. “There are parents who want their children to work but we convince them against it,” says Gowri, a Vidya Volunteer. Twice a week, the Vidya Volunteers go into the slum to talk to parents, “most parents are not aware that child labour is a punishable offence, so we create awareness and tell them why their child needs to be educated,” says Divya, another volunteer.

For Santaiah, a construction worker, the school is his only way of ensuring his child a better future. “My son too was working with me, but today he can read and write,” he says proudly. The school caters to students only up to standard fiveSince the school is well-equipped, teachers feel, it can be upgraded as a high school .

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