For 16-year-old Pasi, who now attends Wellington College in the United Kingdom, there was a clear association between play and positive educational outcomes. “When I first visited the primary school, I saw its dilapidated condition. I spoke to the school principal and found that school attendance was also an issue,” said Kishori. “We managed to raise Rs 7 lakh and with the funds, we built a basketball court in the school and also installed floor tiles on an empty space so that it could be used for gatherings and social events.”
Pasi was happy to note that attendance has improved with the encouragement of students to attend school. “The students are happy with the basketball court. I’m glad I contributed to the change,” she smiled. “My school experience has been very different from his. I now want to extend this help to other schools.” Appreciating Pasi’s efforts in collaboration with the NGO Education Alliance, School Principal Indu Batra said, “I joined the school in September 2019 and soon after the pandemic. So. There was not much development. We also faced paucity of funds. There were mounds of mud all around the school. When Pasi contacted us, we suggested a good ground. This is something that is needed. Sports Grounds can make students feel good.”
Batra said the basketball court now attracts neighborhood children as well. “We are now trying to hire a coach so that the students can be trained properly and we can help them participate in tournaments,” Batra said. “The work done by Inayat is remarkable because her intention was amazing. I want to build a model school for the students who come here because they really don’t have any resources.”
Amitabh Virmani, CEO and Founder, The Education Alliance, said, “We believe in the power of collaboration. When civil society organizations come together to encourage change, the result is nothing short of magical. It is heartening to see the product of this collaboration at Andrews Ganj School, where over 400 young children from disadvantaged backgrounds learn, play and develop holistically.”
Pradeep Sindhu, Director, Education Department, SDMC said, “We appreciate the steps taken by the student to develop a playground in the school run by South Corporation. The department welcomes proactive and responsible citizens who take the initiative to build a better future for our children. To improve the quality of education in the schools run by the corporation, the corporation is taking steps like sports cell, smart classroom, kitchen garden, distribution of cycles and sports equipment.
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