Much acclaimed Rastar Master (teacher on the streets) Deep Narayan Nayak from Jamuria in West Burdwan connected rural Bengal with Finland when he presented his much acclaimed ‘Three Generations Learning Model (3GLM)’ at an international summit in Helsinki last week.

He returned yesterday.

Nayak takes his classroom to the remote corners of Bengal taking three generations of the marginal families together sharing common basic topics, words, lessons among them at a time to help them learn fast amicably.

At the prestigious ‘HundrED Innovation Summit’ in Helsinki, Nayak preached how his 3GLM has started working in transformation of the academic landscape in some parts of rural Bengal.

Nayak, the headmaster of Namopara Free Primary School in Jamuria, West Burdwan had conceived a consolidated concept, how to cover the street children, the dropouts and even the elderly by making education ‘charming and interesting’ to them. He was invited to Helsinki to deliver and present his 3GLM, which, the summit felt necessary especially for the underdeveloped nations. Priyanka Handa Ram, a teacher from Botswana termed the summit as “Our co-created future through education”. Tony Mackay of Global Cities Education Network Foundation, after Nayak’s work stated, “As we gather here, there’s a new story we need to lead, a narrative that is going to enhance our lives. That’s the narrative of human flourishing.”

Nayak explained how his model works, “My 3GLM intends to bridge the generational gap through collaborative learning between children, mothers, and grandmothers.” He added, “The model plays a pivotal role in combating illiteracy and poverty together.” Nayak’s work has become a beacon of hope and empowerment, inspiring communities globally now. In 2023, Nayak represented India at the UNESCO General Assembly in the field of education and was honored with the Global Teacher Award, earning recognition for the country on the international platform.

Nayak and his 3GLM, in 2021 earned the Shining World Education Award from the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association in China after he’d turned mud walls into Blackboards for 10,000 students.

A group of Finnish educators and academics lauded the 3GLM stating, “This model has the potential to be applied in refugee camps, marginalised communities, villages, and urban settings, providing sustainable solutions to long-term educational challenges.” Nayak’s work has also earned accolades from Hemant H Kotawala, India’s ambassador to Finland.

During his stay in Finland, Nayak also acquired knowledge while trying to explore the ‘secrets’ behind one of the world’s most celebrated education systems there. He visited schools and universities, engaging with leading educators, policymakers, and researchers there and said: “I tried to learn about their innovative approaches that have positioned Finland at the forefront of global education over the years,” as Nayak aims to implement relevant changes in Bengal’s education system, he claimed.

Inspired by Finland’s child-centered methods and creative teaching techniques, Nayak has set to begin integrating some adoptive approaches into Jamuria Namopara Free Primary School and other rural areas mainly dominated by the tribal and minority communities, he said.

“Children in Bengal are equally capable of achieving success on the global stage, I believe,” Nayak asserted. “By contextualising Finland’s best practices within our cultural framework, we are not only improving the quality of education but also inspiring students to dream big while staying connected to their roots.”