Undaunted, a few fringed and neglected learners have proved a point the more privileged high achievers have failed to do. These hapless boys and girls have known that their birth is their ultimate curse. But they had the gut to prove the myth of poverty wrong. These young fellows born to extreme poor families are so unfortunate that their parents/parent cannot even feed them. Bearing expenses for their study is an impossible proposition. Instead, almost all of them have to lend their hands to help their families to eke out a living full of distress and miseries.
Actually in this land lacking in heroes, these boys and girls of steely resolve are the heroes. A few Bangla newspapers truly do a great service by bringing the achievements of theirs into focus. They had to fight overwhelming odds but still they could score the highest grade in the first public examinations of substance in this country. Each year, a handful of such students achieve the highest grade (GPA-5) in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations to earn accolade for them from different quarters. But such superfluous exuberance of appreciation does no credit to them. There are indeed a few in society who come forward to help these students.
A newspaper has taken the lead in this regard. Under a special programme, this contemporary has been helping these students with money and moral support. It has created a fund in order to finance their further studies. A few banks have also been awarding scholarships as part of their corporate social responsibility to the needy. But this type of finance is more general because students from lower middle classes can avail of the opportunity. As for helping these students from the poorest of the poor families, some individuals including expatriates generously help one or the other of them. But still not all of them can count themselves lucky on such generosity.
These young learners deserved better because theirs is a journey on a most intimidating terrain of life. Each one of them has conquered the common adversity called poverty. This is known. But what is less appreciated is the background. Living in a hut with no environment for study, no light or even kerosene to light a lamp-let alone implements of education, how do they achieve GPA-5 or A+ in all the subjects?
Sure enough, schools or colleges lend a helping hand when they face insurmountable obstacles. Just imagine when a student from an affluent family in this city takes lesson from house tutors and from coaching centres for all the subjects, these poor fellows cannot even manage the required books and exercise books. They borrow books from their classmates and appear at the examinations. More, their constant anxiety over the minimum money they require for filling in the form or appearing at the examination halls does not help the cause at all.
Still they score the highest grade point. Aren't they the students or learners in the real sense of the term? They are a protest against the system that has made education a farce. If they can do so well in exams, why will not others from the well-to-do families do the likewise? Where lies the malady then? Is this a deliberate ploy on the part of teachers, guide book publishers and some crafty officials associated with education to spoon-feed students so that they become dependent on coaching and guide and made-easy books?
Accepted that this is a crop of extraordinary students who, notwithstanding their malnutrition on account of going hungry and lack of the minimum facilities for education, can defy the odds to achieve excellent results. But then there is no reason to think that if students living in better environment and enjoying opportunities will not do equally well if the system gets changed. Well, pampered children are spoiled. But if the schooling system is rigorous, those students too will be compelled to use their power of understanding and merit to do well in studies and examinations.
Heroism of those neglected students
Nilratan Halder | Published: June 06, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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