Schools in Topsia

It was day two of our survey of the KMC schools in Kolkata and we came across another unique story- rather a story clumped of several agonizing stories. Here, we are talking about the Topsia Primary School. Generally, when we think of schools, we think of playgrounds, trained teachers and safe and secure compound. In short, we look for an environment conducive enough to accelerate the learning process. But the students of Topsia Public School have a different story to tell.

“I start work from 5 am in the morning and on returning from school, I have to wash the dishes, look after my brother and cook for the family”, said one of the class II girls Things are pretty much similar for the other students too, teachers claiming that most of them don’t come to school on time as they remain occupied with domestic grinds. On questioning their parents, they kept mum. Who is to be blamed here? The parents who can hardly manage to earn a living for their families or the students for not able to pay attention after hours of hard work every day.

The inhabitants of Topsia mostly belong to the lower class, working as rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, vegetable vendors and in unorganized sectors like rubber factories, with an average income of 2000-2500 rupees per month. With the average family size ranging from 5 to 7, it’s impractical to assume that they can bear for their children’s education. Even if they are willing to admit their child in the schools, the four schools in ward 59 isn’t sufficient to register the 3250 new students every year.

Given the school’s infrastructure, the uninhabitable classrooms, lack of proper sanitation facility coupled with the arduous and tedious nature of jobs they do at home, it will take a lot of effort for a child to rise above all the hurdles and achieve what is desired out of her. With no mid-day meal scheme, the major incentive for them to visit the school seemed missing. The least we can do is mitigate all the odds that are against their fruitful upbringing, or else, we will find half of them in their father’s shoes – working as cheap laborers in the Topsia rubber factory.

Arpan Biswas

CRY Intern