There are often debates over whether India, at this age, needs as sprawling and palatial Governor Houses (Raj Bhawans) as it has (and it has as many as 38 of them) and whether these spaces can be better utilised for social and developmental purposes. Here is an example of how such spaces or at least, parts of it can be more meaningfully used. The Raj Bhawan in Kolkata, the oldest among all, built in 1803 and covering an area of 7,800 square metres (84,000 square feet) and surrounded by a compound of 11 hectares (27 acres), has a primary school (Hindi medium and Bengali medium) for the kids of the most vulnerable section of the society from nearby slums and streets, which has quietly turned 50, recently. The Raj Bhawan Primary School, was started in 1974 by the then Congress government in the state-led by Siddhartha Sankar Ray, converting the erstwhile horse stable of the Raj Bhawan into this much needed temple of learning.
Fifty years down the road, the school, away from the visibility of the most, has close to 124 students and most importantly with almost zero drop-out rates, if the Arun Prasad Singh, headmaster of the school is to be believed. Forget about the outside visibility, inside the campus, the enthusiasm and vibes are palpable. Singh and his colleagues go out and visit places (different ghats) on the banks of the Ganga to convince the parents to send their children to the free primary school, where they would also get school uniforms, school bags, books and other stationery and mid-day meals, with funds from the state government and various NGOs.
The school has almost got a new lease of life after ‘Literacy India’ rose to the occasion and started standing beside this school and its students on a regular basis. And believe it or not, these street kids are also being taught computer education with the help of Gyantantra from Literacy India. The acceptability and adaptability of the students are seen to be believed. During the Covid time, they were given online tuitions also. Sanghamitra Chanda, project director of Literacy India, has bigger plans and is now working on a model to keep tab on all the students after they leave this school, completing the fifth standard. Continuity in their learning and education is the mantra. Realising that ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’, there are co-curricular activities, including sports and games and PT classes on the ground right in front of the classrooms. No stone is left unturned to ensure that these kids enjoy coming to school. There are also instances when students from Raj Bhawan Primary School won prizes at inter-school competitions organised at some of the best known schools in the city. Is anyone listening?