From: University of Life
Date: Tue, Feb 23, 2016 at 11:12 PM
Do the children from Children Home's have the right of Open learning education?
I, Mohammad was a student of Mauli Children Home, Kondura, Tal. Sawantwadi, Dist- Sindhudurg, Maharashtra till 2003. Crucial circumstances compelled me to get admitted in Children's Home. The children from Children Home were & are looked upon like poor orphans. We were not allowed to do any work except studying as the officials running the Children Home feared that the inspectors visiting the institution would report such instances as making the children to work as laborers. These children are never exposed to the outside world and thus are unaware about the outside happenings. Lack of knowledge and wisdom makes it difficult for the officials of the Children Home, to admit any of its Tenth pass or fail child in a particular course of the child's choice. Thus many of the children like me are confused.
That was the time when my fate brought me to "SYAMANTAK" a school without walls at Dhamapur, Maharashtra. The preaching in this school exposed me a world which I never dreamt of. I gained confidence, self esteem and even could sparkle my newly revealed skills. A boy like me who had never ever heard of IIT till I entered "SYAMANTAK" , got an opportunity for getting exposure at IIT Powai (Mumbai) (which I was not so impress)
I was nurtured at "SYAMANTAK " in such a way that being 8th std. dropout, I worked as a Co-Ordinator & Teacher's Trainer for IBT in the same school.
My selection in the 3rd Batch of a project called "Nirman" by Dr. Abhay Bang was another feather in my cap, since I was the youngest, the least qualified and the first ever candidate from Sindhudurg.
13th December 2015 was a D-Day for me when I got an opportunity to appear in a BBC's programme "Aaj Ki Raat Hai Jindagi"on Star Plus. It was a heavenly experience for me to be with Mr. Amitabh Bacchan .
After 3 years at school without walls, I thought of testing myself & excelled in flying colors. Without any basic certificate in Computer Technology, I dared to run a computer institute successfully for 2 years. That was the time when I thought I should go back to the roots in Sindhudurg. I quit from the flourishing computer institute and returned back to School without Walls now "University of Life" at "SYAMANTAK" . Today I feel very proud to be a managing trustee of "SYAMANTAK".
Today I am above 18 years and thus Child Care and Protection Act is not applicable to me. On the path of my struggle to prove myself, I always have a regret that the CWC officials look upon and treat me as a orphan from Children Home. Is it right on their part? Is it justified that a institute which made me what I am today, be blamed for exploiting children?
Don't the children from Children Home's have a right to Open learning education like the Home schooling, unschooling, Nai Talim etc? or is this open and democratic education limited to a certain class of people in society.
Is it reasonable that even after years, the society is compelled to treat such children as orphans?
I feel disgusted when the CWC officials trouble us for nothing even today. Is it vindicated?
As a free human being, don't we have the right to change our fate.
Mohammadisak Babalal Shaikh
Syamantak UniversityofLife
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