“My teacher used to beat me up in my old school, so I stopped going to school,” says Atiya before she and her classmate Ammu act out how her teacher used to beat her. 8-year-old Atiya of Foreshore Estate, now studies at the Transit School in the Government Primary School building, Patinapakkam. She is one of many children that have been brought back to school by the Montfort Community Development Society (MCDS), Shastri Nagar. MCDS, which runs seven such schools with 74 students this academic year, is one among 14 NGOs in the city that work in partnership with the Corporation of Chennai (CC), in running these Transit Schools.
Transit Schools are one-year schooling programmes for school dropouts and child labourers, before they are admitted to regular schools. They are unable to join regular schools for the lack of a Transfer Certificate. Most of their parents are illiterate and do not collect a Transfer Certificate before migrating. On completing the course the students write entrance exams for regular schools and are admitted in the class that suits their ability. The Transfer Certificates, which are universally valid, are issued by the Corporation
“We admit children of ages 6 to 16. For each academic year we work in collaboration with either the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) or the National Child Labour Project (NCLP),” says Mr. Arul, Senior Coordinator of the MCDS. The Cardinal Leger Foundation of Canada also supports this project. This academic year is funded by the SSA. An academic year runs from August to May. In the months of June and July prospective students are identified by surveying the slums of Chennai.
Surveys are a dangerous job. “Sometimes sundry missiles have been thrown at the surveyors. We have to face abusive parents and employers, but we are able to counsel them into agreeing to let the children learn,” says Mr. Bosco, Coordinator of MCDS’ Transit School programme. Head teachers of neighbourhood schools help MCDS locate these children by giving them a list of dropouts. They are also involved in readmitting children in regular schools.
“We even get help from local political leaders. We have also been inviting police officials to our Child Rights Awareness programmes,” says an enthusiastic Mr. Bosco, who despite ill health, braved the rain to organize the Child Rights and Sports Day for the Government Primary School, Patinapakkam. The MCDS keeps in touch with its alumni by inviting them once a year for a get-together. Apart from sponsoring books, bags and uniforms for the children, the organisation also guides them to community colleges.
In the last 12 years MCDS has put 1860 children through these schools. “42 of these children are now toppers in regular schools,” says Bro. Patrick, Director- MCDS. MCDS also runs a programme for women from slums.
Bro. Patrick explains that when women get involved in Self Help Groups, they come in contact with other women who have children in schools and colleges. This motivates them to sacrifice the income derived from their working children, to send them to school. However, he says, it is next to impossible to convince drunken fathers to send their children to school. “We can use legal remedies but practically we can do nothing if the father of the child doesn’t want to send him to school,” woes Bro. Patrick, who has been with the MCDS for eight years.
Last year the MCDS ran a program for children of migrant cane craftsmen from Gujarat. With the Transfer Certificates obtained, they can now join schools anywhere they migrate to. In Transit Schools on Avvai Shanmugam Salai and Thousand Lights, many of the children were addicts and involved in petty crime. Yet, they are now in school, thanks to the lure of noon meals and a regular school life. The children are taught using the “activity based learning” method. The government specially trains the teachers for this purpose.
Each school is run by one teacher. They are assisted by Social Work students and helpers. The MCDS gives incentives of Rs 500 to teachers and Rs 1000 to helpers over above their salaries of Rs 1500 and Rs 800, respectively, which is paid by the government. Says Rachana, a volunteer from St. Joseph’s College, Kovur, “Though I have a language problem (she is Telugu and is not fluent in Tamil), I am able to take English classes. I am happy with the work I do here.” Those interested in volunteering or making monetary contributions to the MCDS can visit their website www.mcdschennai.org.
The children of Transit Schools
1. Besant Nagar- Gram vendors of Elliots Beach
2. N. S. Garden- Cane workers
3. Patinapakkam- Domestic helpers
4. Avvai Shanmugam Salai- Addicts/ anti-socials from the Cemetry nearby
5. Varadharajapuram- Waste electric wire workers
6. Thousand Lights- Addicts from slums along the Kuvam
7. Teynampet- Utensil tinkers
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