Recently, I was in bus, on way to office. A group of little kids studying in a nearby government school got
in to the bus. Their uniforms
showed evidences of playing out in the mud. The eldest one looked around 8 years
old and the youngest one who was with a running nose looked around 5.
They perched on to all empty seats and were chattering away.
Elder ones were trying to keep the younger ones under control. Some little
girls sitting next to me started looking curiously at me, my bag and the book I
was holding in hand. I glanced at them and smiled as they turned away shyly.
At the next stop, a mother and two teen girls got in. The
girls had their shopping bags and started taking stock of their shopped
items. As they held a whole bunch of earrings and other fancy items in hand I saw
the little ones’ eyes shining and mouths opening in awe. They couldn’t seem
to stop gazing at those colourful earrings, chains and pendants. None of them
had any fancy earring or a bangle. They kept looking at them till the bus reached the
stop they had to get down.
Those little girls
reminded me of myself at that age. I
would look forward to Onam to get new sets of bangles, ribbons, beaded
chains,
earrings, bindi, etc. I would keep them all in
boxes and take them out everyday and admire for long. There will be very
few girls who would be beyond the lure of such things till a particular
age.
These kids had their bags torn, shoes looked old and dirty, some didn’t even have slippers…
All they had to compete with the rich kids were the dreams and hopes in their eyes.
I wished such a scenario unfolded in front of all those who
oppose Right to Education Act. All kids have the right to dream big. Government
is bound to fulfil their dreams and society too. How can one feed own child,
leaving the child next door to starve and die?
Education is the only weapon to fight poverty. For
girls, it is the source of confidence and strength. Hope our
decision-makers realize it.
