Kherwa, a village in Banda District of Uttar Pradesh, is the residence of the Kuchbandiya tribal community. In a community meeting, people informed that only 20% of the children go to school regularly, while the rest while away their entire day.
On enquiring with the parents, it was noted that the children were not going to school not because they did not want to study or because their parents were not interested in getting them educated. These children are beaten up by other children belonging to upper castes. They are made to sit at a distance from the other children and the teachers also show an unconcerned attitude towards them.
On 1 December 2020, Vidya Dham Samiti started a school in Masuri Kherwa village of Banda district. On the day of its inauguration, 30 children were admitted to the school. The age of these children ranged from 5 to 14 years.
Many of these children had never been to school, while some had dropped out because of socio-cultural reasons. On the inauguration day, the children were given educational material such as books, stationery, bags, etc.
A teacher was appointed to teach the children for two hours per day. The time allotted was less than that of a regular school because these children were not used to sitting and studying. Gradually, once the children become comfortable with the routine, the school will operate as a regular school.
All the parents who have sent their children are looking forward to their children studying and have promised to send them to school in neat and clean uniforms. We have planned to teach basic manners and morals in the school according to the local context.