Kalu's Schooling

Kalu was looking at his son engrossed in his online classes. With the beginning of lockdown, he has come back from his hostel at Ahmedabad and since then he is at home. Kalu was remembering the day when he has gone to drop his son at the hostel, what a beautiful campus, full of greenery and being away from the city, nice calm surroundings. Kalu was very happy not only that his son got admitted to a reputed institute, but also the stress-free study environment and the opportunity for extracurricular activities. Kalu had his own concept of schooling since his childhood, he was not much interested in the education system. Unlike other children of his age, he was very fond of school. There was no need of reminding him to get ready timely, rather he used to leave early for school. It was not because he could reach school in time, but he can have a morning round of playing any game. Being a Govt primary school, there was no pressure on the study. He was a very obedient student, always ready to listen to the instructions of his teachers, of course not related to study. Getting tea or some snacks for the teachers and to make sure that he had a sip of the tea and to taste the bhajia before delivering the order to them.

Kalu was also good in the academic part, but he had his own style of reading. The maximum duration of study at a stretch should not be more than 30 minutes and the break in between should be equal to the study hour. He used to hate homework. It was a breach of privacy and a violation of the fundamental rights of a child. He remembered the efforts made by him to cut short the tenure of the home tutor. The time period between 4 pm to 7 pm on working days and the entire Sunday was earmarked for various outdoor games. The dirty clothes and minor injuries had to be handled carefully in isolation. Kalu had his own schedule of academic and non-academic activities. He maintained his schedule, even in high school and College, till graduation. You name an outdoor game, Kalu had played it. He was different among the five brothers. Got his nomenclature because of his colour. He was a great advocate of open schools, where the students are taught in open, in the natural environment. He failed to understand why a kid should be confined to a closed room to learn. He had never felt the weight of the school bag in the form of an aluminium box containing two to three books, but he was feeling the weight of the school bag carried by his two sons on their tiny shoulder. Till date Kalu couldn't understand the purpose of PTMs, he has attended during the schooling of his two kids. For him, it was more like a kangaroo court. He never minded going to school little frequently and counter arguing with the teachers for his younger son who has carried his baton successfully. Every child is different and he is a topper in his own field. He should be allowed to bloom. What is the need for a three-year-old child to learn alphabets, why can't be he just allowed to enjoy his childhood? Why the kids are not allowed to leave the school bags in school? Kalu has so many unanswered questions, and to add it, the online classes. Kalu looks at his grown-up son spending hours in front of the laptop and missing the natural environment of his college and the company of his friend circle and worrying about the final placements. Will heaven fall if the academic year is frozen for all the students across the country? Kalu has come a long way since his primary school days but has not changed his thoughts on the education system. And his rebellious attitude has not affected his career. He has settled down in his life and never bothered to measure his achievements against the societal parameters. Even if he is no more called as Kalu, some times he carefully looked at the mirror to make it double sure.