Though I was interested in studies, as a child I never liked going to school. My parents wanted me to pursue education and supported it in every possible way, but somehow going to school every day was nothing more than a tedious ritual to me.

Now that I work in the education sector and get an opportunity to visit many schools and meet many teachers, I see how some teachers change that experience for children.  They infuse so much energy into their classrooms and get their children excited in learning. The passion these teachers have for their profession is contagious. Nothing— lack of infrastructure, basic facilities— deter them.

Recently, I met one such teacher—Kanta Bhushan Sharma ji, who works at Central Primary School in Chopal, Shimla. A teacher for 17 years, she feels that both teacher and parents play a critical role in school education. Both have equal responsibility as far as getting a child interested in education is concerned.  

A teacher for 17 years, Sharma feels that both teacher and parents play a critical role in school education. Both have equal responsibility as far as getting a child interested in education is concerned.

As a teacher, she uses a lot of props and projects to make concepts clear. She involves her older students in making projects and props and believes that everyone learns a lot in the process. “The other day I had to teach global warming to my class-V students and we made a project using waste material. In the process, they understood every aspect of global warming. And they made the presentation effortlessly as their concept was very clear,” she said.

Such teachers can bring about the change we have been striving for.  

Rajendra Singh Chauhan, in-charge, Central Primary School, Kupvi, Shimla has taken the enrolment in his school from 11 to 68 in pre-primary and from 40 to 87 in the primary section in just six months.

The first thing he did when he joined the school in February this year was to conduct a community outreach program to understand what parents in the area expect from the school, they send their child to. Based on that, he approached the authorities and suggested that the school should be made English-medium. “We worked hard to improve the attendance and enrolment in the school and made teaching interactive. And it worked,” says Chauhan.

“We involve parents, especially mothers, of children and tell them about the important role that education plays in the growth and development of a child. This year on Teachers’ Day we organised a lecture on education in our school and 90 per cent, parents attended it,” he said.

At Sampark, I got to meet many such passionate teachers and I firmly believe that only teachers can make coming to school fun for children.

(The writer is State Operation manager, Himachal Pradesh, at Sampark. Views expressed are personal)