Hello Jessica,
I finally made it to Kakinada on Friday, 17th June. Reaching Sharada Vidyalayam was not difficult, as Srikiran Eye Institute a part of Sankurathri Foundation is a well know landmark in Kakinada.
I reached Sarada Vidyalayam around noon. This is a beautiful little school with a pretty garden. As I entered the campus it seemed very quiet, I wondered if it was a holiday, then I saw a few kids studying under the shade of a mango tree and the other children were in their respective classrooms. It was amazing to know that a school with more than hundred children can be so quiet.
First I met Rama Rao the administrator of the school, who took me to Dr Chandra Sekhar’s house. After a quick refreshment and introduction with Dr Chandra Sekhar I went back to the school. During the lunch break Rama Rao introduced me to the teachers, the casual chatting led to an interesting discussion on ‘what discipline is?’, how fear obstructs learning and what freedom is for children?’. After lunch break Rama Rao took me to all the seven classrooms. I enjoyed talking to the children they all looked very bright and confidant. We talked about, what they like and don’t like at school, about their daily activities, about films and of course cricket!. They all seemed to show interest in learning computers, I asked them, why? And they said “the future is all about computers!”
What impressed me the most was the children’s handwriting. All the children have beautiful handwriting. The teachers explained that utmost care is give to handwriting, the concerned class teacher corrects every piece of written work. Rama Rao told me that earlier they had a volunteer teaching in the school Dr Shamala who has inspired and trained the teachers. Most of the teachers have been with the school from its inception. Another interesting practice in the school is that the administrator’s (head master) role is by rotation, in this way all the teachers understand the responsibilities and share work. Once in a month all the teachers have a get-together in one of the teachers houses. No wonder they are an excellent team. The school has an outstanding academic record, in the recent class seven public exam all the children have got very good marks and there has been no retention at all. Rama Rao is very meticulous in maintaining the school registers. He pulled out the Progress Register and I found that even in the previous years the children had got exceptionally good marks.
I liked the activity room; the walls of this room were covered with colorful paintings, drawings and other craftwork done by the children. The children also help in cleaning the school premises and maintaining the garden. On all Fridays children have a chanting class. I was entranced with listening to the children chant Sanskrit hymns, the rhythm and pronunciation was so good.
The children’s playroom had plenty of toys and games. Next we went into the science lab; I felt the science lab and the library need to be more equipped. Rama Rao showed me the proposed computer room. I also spoke to the teacher who will be teaching computers to the children. What surprised me was that all the teachers were also keen on learning computers, they said that it will help them in their teaching, preparing lesson plans and making worksheets. They said that by showing simulations in science or geography the children understand concepts much better.”
By 4pm the school assembled under the mango trees, after singing the national anthem the children walked in file, bid farewell to their teachers and got into the waiting bus. The school bus will take them to their respective villages.
After the children left I went to Dr Chandra Sekhar’s office, he talked to me about the school’s steady progress and the future plans. As I was curious to see the Eye Institute, he deputed Ramesh the person in-charge of the Community Out-reach Program to take me around the hospital. He showed me every department and explained about all the latest equipment they have in the institute.
I would have liked stayed on for another day but as I had traveled form Adilabad to Kakinada the previous night (a long bus journey about 18hrs and was away from home for a week) I was feeling tired and decided to return back to Madanapalle. Dr Chandra Sekhar kindly sent a vehicle to drop me at the railway station. I reached the station just in time to catch Sheshadri Express, reached Tirupati the next morning and from there I went to Madanapalle by bus.
I am very satisfied with this visit. I learnt a lot and was also inspired by Sarada Vidyalayam as we are planning to start a quality school for underprivileged children near Madanapalle.
With warm regards,
Ravi.