A Retired School Principal Talks About Teaching Underprivileged Girls.

August 18, 2017

Observations, learnings and growth curve of a retired CBSE Principal when she joined a school for less privileged girls.

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I started my journey as an academic administrator almost 25 years ago in a private school in Jaipur as a Principal. I thought I had seen all until the day of my retirement. I had gathered ample experience and was content at a personal level that I had contributed to the noble cause of educating the younger generation.

Then I became part of Vimukti Girls School and it introduced me to a completely new aspect of education in our society. Working here I recalled a very famous quote – Education is a Right, Not a Privilege. I will be honest and admit that I understood this at much different level when I first met girls in our school. For them education is a privilege. We are helping girls from economically and socially weaker sections of the society to get their basic right of education. We are not in competition with any other school which is common among private schools catering to middle and high income groups.

Our race is with ourselves and with the evils of this society which obstruct the path of girls’ education, sometimes in the form of parents’ reluctance to send girls to school, sometimes in the form of poverty forcing girls to take up low-end jobs and sometimes in the form of community pressure to get the girls married off at an early age.

Vimukti students are smart, intelligent and confident — Ms Mathur interacting with students in the class

At Vimukti Girls School, we are providing free education to girls along with free uniforms, books, stationery, supplementary meals and subisidised transport.

Our passionate team of teachers, volunteers and professionals always aim to achieve excellence in our goals.

Ms Mathur motivating girls to complete their education and become self dependent — Ms Mathur addressing the girls

We strive to provide a learning environment at least equivalent to any private school if not better, for now. The school’s efforts over the past twelve years are now beginning to have a positive impact with our students completing their school education and securing admission in some of the best colleges of Jaipur.

The tiny, shy and scared girls of yesterday have today turned into smart, confident young women with high aspirations of becoming doctors, engineers, bureaucrats and educators and help others in need just as the school helped them some years ago.

Given an Opportunity, underprivileged girls can do wonders — Vimukti Students excel in all fields

If anything separates these girls from any other, it is an opportunity. I wish for a day in our country when economic disparity will not hamper basic rights of education of any child.

Given a chance, every girl can excel in every field — Opportunity is all I need

After working here for more than 5 years, I can proudly call myself an educator in the true sense. I’m still learning and every day brings in new challenges and new learnings in its folds.

(Views expressed by Ms Shayama Mathur, Principal, Vimukti Girls School, Jaipur)

Learn more about the school here.