A School In Punjab's Bathinda That Goes To Its Students

Bathinda: While most schools and classrooms wait for students, in Bathinda, there's a school that goes to the children instead. The Goodwill Mobile School, built on a tractor trolley, travels through the city's slums to provide free education to poor and underprivileged children who otherwise fail to attend schools due to various reasons.

Run by a retired Railway Engineer KK Garg, its structure is made of weatherproof Japanese sheet and gypsum board to tackle heat. Fans have also been installed in it so that the children do not face any problem because of the heat.

Till now, it has catered to the needs of around 700 children in the last 17 years. Started in 2006, it has overcome many challenges including the initial reluctance of the slum dwellers to educate their children. But with time, they started understanding the importance of education.

Garg was moved by the poor children playing along the railway lines when he used to go for his duty. He saw that they were deprived of education. This led him to decide that he would provide education to these children in some way or the other after retirement.

A School In Punjab's Bathinda That Goes To Its Students (ETV Bharat)

"Thereafter, I became a member of the Goodwill Society and started the School that provides free education to children by going to various slums of Bathinda city," Garg said.

He related that the children are not only given basic education but they are also admitted to the nearby government schools after completing all their necessary documents.

"After primary education, the children from these poor families are admitted to government schools for further studies," he said while sharing that this is done by taking their Aadhaar cards and photograph besides the consent of the parents. Along with education, all the facilities are provided to them during the year.

A School In Punjab's Bathinda That Goes To Its Students (ETV Bharat)

A female teacher has been appointed to teach in the School so that no parent has any hesitation in sending their daughters. Fruits, biscuits and other food items are regularly provided by the institution to the students who come to study there.

Garg explained, "We take the Mobile School to a settlement for a year and provide basic education to the children. We then get the children admitted to a nearby government school. Apart from medical and tour facilities, many other essential facilities are provided to the children enrolled with us. After one settlement, we move on to another settlement."

"We have been told that some children have definitely become eligible for jobs and other professions. There is no information about whether any of our children is in any government position or an officer," he said.

Shweta, who has been a teacher at the mobile school for the last four years said that she teaches two classes from 3 PM to 5 PM.

"It was very difficult to explain things to the people in the beginning because people do not trust outsiders easily. We assured them that they do not have to send their child outside as we would be coming to you with our own van. We also showed this Mobile School to them and they agreed while giving their consent to the enrolment of their children," she said.

Meanwhile, Dimple who is a student from Bayana Basti said she liked coming to the school. Her studies were interrupted when her parents had shifted from a previous location. But because of the mobile school, she has been able to resume her studies again as the School has come close to her house.

Many locals feel that the government should encourage this initiative so that it can be taken forward for the benefit of many more needy people.

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