Amaira, perched on the lap of her mother, talks about her dream of being a police officer. She chooses words in Hindi and English, as per what her vocabulary permits and what she recalls, to make the sentences that express her dream the best. The effort is commendable. What catches one’s attention, though, is the strong will mirrored in her mother, Ranjana’s eyes: the determination to build a better life for her daughter. Amaira is a first-generation learner.

Shaheen is a mother to two children, Naaz and Shahid; both are students at CHAHAK Bindapur, a center that serves underserved and vulnerable children via initiatives based on six pillars: Early childhood education, remedial learning, digital literacy, health and nutrition, mental health and career mapping – the cradle to career approach. The young mother said,  “I was in class XII when I got married off, leaving no room for further studies. I would have loved to complete my higher studies and be financially independent, but destiny decided otherwise. However, I now dream that dream for my children, especially for my daughter Naaz. Earning respect is not easy; it commands a reputation that takes time to build and is based on hard work on the self and for others, besides financial independence.” Naaz’s most joyful activity of the day is to narrate the day’s activities at school to her mother, including what she did and learned, her interactions with her teachers and friends, and various co-curricular activities held at school. According to Shaheen, Naaz’s brief teaches her a lot by giving her an insight into education and pedagogy. “I remember my childhood…the things we were taught…the way we learned…with Naaz and Shahid, things are beautifully different…they learn, and they are my teachers,” added Shaheen with eyes brimming with emotions and pride.

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‘First Generation Learners’, as the term suggests, are individuals who are the first in their families to receive a formal education. They could face academic, emotional, mental health, and social challenges, depending on their backgrounds, journeys, and situations. Dr Dina Pahlajani, President and Cofounder of Children’s Hope India, explained, “Individuals, who are the first in their families to begin formal education, do face varied challenges. It is, hence, important that all stakeholders involved work together to empower the child. This includes not only teachers but also parents, who play a critical role in the wholesome development and holistic growth of their children. It is important that parents understand this and the fact that education serves as the springboard into not only a financially independent future but also enables children to become contributing members of society. One-on-one talks, counselling and workshops, on a consistent basis, serve as some of the mediums to facilitate this understanding, the key words being consistency and perseverance.”

Anita, who hails from a family of six brothers and sisters, understands the challenges that first-generation learners face, one of them being financial poverty. “We never had enough, even to manage two square meals for each of us, simply because there was just one family member earning. I was in class VIII when I was married off, mainly because of societal pressures. It’s a decision I deeply regret, as it affected my self-esteem and confidence to a very large extent, so much so that even today, I can feel the ripple effect.” Anita, who has a son and a daughter, attends school regularly, something which she has made sure to ensure. When her daughter, Amala, was facing problems with English and maths, she immediately availed the tuition facility at the school so that her daughter could understand the basics and build well on the same. Today, Anita says that her daughter is not only able to understand the logic behind core concepts of basic maths and apply them but even teach her friends and brother. English reading, speaking, and writing skills have also seen acceleration with the help of creative and innovative pedagogy applied at the school. This has made the teaching/learning process easier and more fun and has ensured better recall.

Vivek* studies in class seven but clearly recalls how challenging the transition from his familial background to a school environment was, “I didn’t even know how to sit on a chair!” He is now a confident 13-year-old who speaks his thoughts without hesitation. Challenges don’t deter most children. Kehkashan is currently pursuing her B.Com. She hails from a family of four brothers and three sisters, her father being the only breadwinner of the family till recently. With the help of tuition, she was able to strengthen her weak subjects, too, earning herself a scholarship. “For me, an independent life and a healthy lifestyle are very important. Besides this, believing in oneself, being willing to learn, and having self-confidence is crucial. Today, I can speak English well, and I am hopeful for a good job, too. I want to help and guide girls like me so that they too can dream big and realise these dreams.” Her biggest challenge was to rise against societal norms and traditional expectations of girls.

Many of the parents of first-generation learners are proud of their children’s achievements, and the magnitude thereof doesn’t really matter. Inder, a dhol wala, expresses his pride when he narrates how his child reads English books, a feat he could never achieve himself. He says he doesn’t really care about societal pressures, especially those pertaining to girls since he feels that everyone has the right to education and a better life. He added, “As I was a boy, I could have studied, but family tradition wanted me to continue with the job of playing the dhol. Now, I manage events, which is a huge step for me and one I solely took to increase my income so that my children can get a good education. I should have studied too, but that is a closed chapter now, and I now only dream of my children being able to stand on their own feet and give back to their community.” Shahana is a ‘midwife’ with two sons. She credits awareness generation on health and nutrition, child care, child rights, education, and other such subjects to the change in destiny. She stated, “Most of our family members were ragpickers, but education changes that and so much more. Today, I can proudly say that my sons have realised their dreams.”

Teachers, who play a critical role in the education of a child, address the needs of heterogeneous groups with different learning needs, which is a challenge in itself. Lack of basic literacy and ground life skills makes it tougher in certain cases. This could lead to reduced motivation and, ultimately, dropping out. Therefore, maintaining an ideal class strength, consistent teacher training, upgrading, and motivation, along with creative and innovative teaching/learning processes, is critical for ensuring the sustained engagement of all stakeholders, but most importantly, the child. Seema, a nursery school teacher, stresses the need to remain motivated. She said, “Meeting young children every day and understanding the responsibility of these lives on my shoulders opened my mind to so many new ideas pertaining to making teaching and learning an enriching experience for both my class and me.” “However, it was not always a smooth journey,” added Seema. Children hailing from different backgrounds come with different challenges that need different approaches. Adding to this is the fact that teachers remain with children for about four hours a day, after which parents, family, and community members ‘take over’. She added, “I have had, at times, consistent and long discussions with parents just to get them to understand their roles in the journeys of their children. Today, about 75 per cent of my students’ parents take an active part in their child’s studies and growth, and this is quite a feat in itself. Counselling, orientations, meetings, workshops, WhatsApp groups, and such have helped a good deal.”

For a country like India, where more than 65 per cent of its population is below 35 years of age, education, and skilling are vital for it to reap its rich demographic dividend. Early Childhood Education plays a critical role in the sustenance of young entrants in the formal education system, especially first-generation learners. It is paramount that all concerned stakeholders pool resources together and empower the ecosystem in order to encourage a better present and brighter future for all. Like Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This quote cannot find deeper resonance than in today’s time and age.

The writer is an independent contributor. The pictures were provided by the author.