We talk of the high dropout rate of students in rural India and we talk of low attendance but do we ever consider the actual reasons for it? We often blame the poor infrastructure, meager meals provided at school as part of the mid day meal campaign, no water and a whole lot of other stuff for it. But consider this - What if all these facilities are available but still the students do not wish to go to school? Have we not seen children coming up with all sorts of excuses to miss a day of school or bursting out in joyful celebration on the announcement of a holiday? It is too common a phenomenon to go unnoticed. It is just that children prefer more practical ways of learning than the classroom environment. Gulping down knowledge that is being forced down their throats is not what every child can handle, though some have no problem with this form of learning. The classroom environment often contradicts the more creative child's idea of learning. It does not cater to their natural talent and inclination as well as level of curiosity, which is very different from person to person. Every child is a natural learner. Children learn faster than we think they do and restricting their abilities to what the classroom has to offer is akin to some heinous crime. So, when a child, or when so many children make up excuses not to attend their so-called "elite school" classes, it's time we got the hint and stopped blaming the kids for being wayward.
Oxygen... a movement view
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