The Desperate Child

A few days ago, once I met my old teacher. I was quite happy to see him, the memories of studying with him in my childhood are still fresh in my heart and mind. As a child, I was not very good at studies, I felt like a burden to study. I still remember that in my childhood when Masterji used to teach us, he used to ask us some questions in school and used to ask some questions from home. I remember that question today, but say that if you do not appreciate something in time, it is of no use.

As I told you that when I used to feel like a burden in my childhood, I could not even solve the questions given for the home work, for which I was often punished in their lessons. At that time, there was a lot of anger on Masterji, but today it seems that if Masterji did not take a strict attitude on me at that time, I would not be able to become what I am today. Often in childhood, we think that teachers punish us, if we make a mistake, they beat us with sticks, then they are very bad. But it is not so, when we are sensible, we see life from the front, feel those ups and downs in life, then we feel that in our childhood we are being rebuked for the things we are being denied. In future, they will be helpful in making our life better.

That day when I met my sir, he looked very happy. When I asked reason, he told that he got a call from an old disciple, he told Sir that he had cracked the exam of UPSC and was going to Mansuri for training. I am also happy to know that, often we avoid sharing the success of our life with our mentor, but when a student achieves success in his life then that day of a teacher's life is the most precious day.The teacher's chest widens with pride knowing the success of his disciple. That day I sat with my sir and talked for hours, his eyes still had the same glow that we used to think as angry in childhood.

On looking closely, wrinkles were also visible on his face, with time he was also getting old. In many cases, I asked him "Sirji! Where are you nowadays?". He told that he is serving as a teacher on his village. On asking him more about the school, it was found out that the school is in a village in the mountain. To say that it is a government school but it does not even have basic facilities. There is no road to reach the school, nor is there any arrangement to drop the children from school to home, if according to the paperwork is to be done then the building of that school is two storey and about 200 to 250 children study in that school.

But in reality all is opposite, the building of that school is so inferior and old that the roof of that building can fall on the children anytime. During the rainy season, water also falls from that roof. Every year there are promises, tenders are filled to repair the schools but in the end nothing happens, even the money for the school does not reach the school. Neither are there books for the children nor do the teachers get salary on time. Not only this, even today, the posts of 3 teachers have been vacant for the last four to five years. In the name of Mid-day meal, such useless food is given that no animal can eat it. Paint keep coming out from the walls of the school, and the condition of the children studying there is so pathetic that it cannot be told that in the four walls of that school, the dreams of those children are being scammed.

 

I teach class 8, there is a child in my class named Vikram. He does not study carefully in my class, when he is taught, he keeps his attention on the activities going on outside. He remains silent throughout the class, he does not even talk to any of his children. Do not know where it is lost, it feels as if there is something that he is hiding or something that he is trying to say, but no one is able to understand or listen to him. I spoke to the principal about that child. He told that the boy is very upset because of his home's condition, the father of that child is a laborer and there is a lack of money in his house, due to which his father does not want to let him study further. He wants that his son should now join his work, earn wages and earn some money which is not acceptable to that child at all. A few years ago, there was news that people caught Vikram's father red handed while stealing from other village. Although his father has come to deny this thing even today, but the villagers do not believe his words and even today consider him as a thief. The people of this village advise their children to stay away from Vikram.

Friends, do you think that it is permissible to punish Vikram for the crime committed by his father, in your view, should a person be considered a criminal for crimes not proved on him?