Support My School

Support My School

In this world of infinite possibilities, you are born to make a difference and to leave a legacy. To create wonderful ideas, to imagine, believe on them, implement it and make world a better place to live in. An endeavour to create a win-win condition and put a smile to every face, you come across.

The only way to harness this unlimited power and to create a difference you need to be educated. The very first step is going to school.

Coca- Cola India NDTV and other NGO partners are on a mission to revitalise 1,000 schools in the country and to create awareness on the importance of education and to provide basic amenities for children in schools.

Coca- Cola India & NDTV launched Support My School in association with the UN-Habitat, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in 2011. It undertakes the following core activities:

• Provision of improved access to water

• Appropriate sanitation facility for girls and boys

• Improvement in the overall school infrastructure and environment

• Provision for sports and recreation facilities and

• Recharging groundwater through rainwater harvesting

The campaign has been able to improve the enrolment in schools from 6.95% (2013-14) to 14.77% (2014-15). The education system in rural areas of India is facing a lot of issues. Here are some issues that needs to be taken care of

Ø    The teachers in the government schools are asked to do various kinds of jobs apart from teaching. Like joining voting polls during elections, helping the government in National Population Registration, cooking mid- day meals. So, there isn’t enough time to spare to teach children, which isn’t a case in private schools.

Ø    The teachers are then asked to finish the syllabus in schools within a stipulated time period apart from doing the above mentioned work, which is why they don’t give their very best in teaching the children.

Ø    Lack of proper training and not being well versed with the advanced technology is leaving them to teach children the old fashioned way.

Ø    Many teachers aren’t paid well in Government schools, which again don’t motivate them to teach.

Ø    The parents who send their children to government schools aren’t well educated and live on a, hand to mouth income, which prevents them to invest on their child’s education. A survey reports in 2009, 55.6% children going to schools had mothers who have never been to schools as opposed to 40.8% children in private schools.

Ø    The Anti Child Labour programme is implemented but it doesn’t seem to impact a majority of India’s population. Children are still working at various under-construction sites and restaurants.

There are many small and big problems that can be added to the above list, which will only continue to grow, if we continue complaining and not take a step towards solving each problem one at a time.

The most important step we can take to ensure that every child is given proper education is to start with their parents. The parents should be taught or given a proper guidance on why they should send their children to school.

This will help the campaign give the much needed boost for a perfect launch.

Once the children reach schools, during the final years of study they should be guided by counselors who can guide the students according to their strengths on what they should study or which career they should pursue.

Education should enhance the creativity of the children, thereby making them capable enough to take their own decisions. Sports should be given priority along with the studies and other extra-curricular activities. This will help in all round development of the students.

Coca- Cola NDTV & NGOs campaign is an incredible step in fulfilling the dream of educating children and giving them a platform to launch their careers. I wish the campaign all the good luck in their mission and thanks for giving me an opportunity to be part of it in spread awareness about education.