Coming together for a change

CHENNAI: P Jayasudha and Devaki from K R C A R C Women's High School, Vyasarpadi, loved the arts and crafts sessions at school. They felt happy when they could string together colourful beads and watch them turn into a beautiful piece of jewellery. But when officials from their school took their ornaments away from them and sold it back to them for prices as high as `200 and `350, they were shattered. “They also sell the notebooks that the government provides to the school for free and make money from it,” rued Devaki. Like Devaki and Jayasudha, 10 other underprivileged students from various schools in six Tamil Nadu districts participated in the open forum organised by CRY – Child Rights and You on Children’s Day this year. Students who are a part of the CRY — initiated Children’s Collectives got together at ICSA, Egmore, to share some of the problems that they faced in their schools and how Children’s Collectives had given them the opportunity to seek solutions and contribute to some of the decisions that directly or indirectly affected their lives. Jayasudha and Devaki, who are a part of the Maan Kutti Children’s Collective, also informed that teachers in their school were abusive, both verbally and physically and that most students had dropped out because of the excessive abuse. Though there are sanitation facilities available, Devaki laments, “They provide water only for the teachers in the bathrooms and not for us. We are also made to sweep the floors of the school.” Shruti and Mamushiya from the Neithal Kulandai Kulu Children’s Collective, who go to a school situated on the ECR, have used the opportunity provided by CRY to enforce the Right to Education Act in their locality. They have strongly been campaigning, writing to the Chief Minister to frame substantial rules for the RTE Act. Some of the other Children’s Collectives that took part in the forum include Illam Kanal Collective from the Tirunelveli District, Viduthalai Kaga Kalvi Kulu Collective from Salem and Genjamma and Madhuri from the Katu Kuyil Collective, Salem, who fought for a teacher. The event took place at five other CRY centres in various cities simultaneously.