There are two kinds of people in this world, those who face a dire situation with bitterness and those who try to find a silver lining in it. Migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh stuck in Rajasthan, away from their families in difficult financial conditions found their silver lining, when they took this lockdown opportunity to learn to read and write. Nineteen migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan’s Baran district were quarantined in the Government Senior Higher Secondary School, Dodiyana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur. The teachers of the government school in the Nagaur district took daily classes for the migrant workers, teaching them to read and write their names along with numbers from 0 to 10.
What’s In It?
Sushil Kumar, a school teacher stated to PTI, “Following imposition of the country-wide lockdown, the workers had undertaken long march to their homes, but they were stopped by the authorities and quarantined in the school. We thought of giving ‘akshar gyan’ to them during their quarantine. Except a few, all workers learnt to read and write their names and counting from zero to ten and have now become able to at least search, dial and save numbers in their mobile phones” revealed Sushil Kumar. He further revealed that quarantined migrant workers became anxious and agitated to return back to their homes at the earliest. So the teachers decided to put their idle time into constructive use and help them learn a life skill.
And this is not the only case of migrant workers making the best use of their quarantine period. Earlier, a group of 74 migrant labourers stopped their long march midway and went to villages in Madhya Pradesh. They quarantined in a school building in Kotputli near Jaipur. The grateful migrant workers mended, plastered and painted the school building walls to express their gratitude for being taken good care fo during this lockdown period. Sushil Kumar, Dodiyana school teacher played an active role in providing ‘akshar gyan’ to migrant workers quarantined in his school. He revealed that those having their homes in Madhya Pradesh were sent back after the government permitted transportation. He added that migrant workers hailing from Rajasthan will also be sent back to their homes.
Also Read: Migrant Labourers In Rajasthan Paint School Walls To Thank Locals For Food And Shelter
What’s More?
One of the stranded migrant workers was 18-year-old Manoj who was a class 8 pass-out. He revealed to Edex Live, “I did not know how to write names of my relatives in English. But the school teachers taught it to me. They used to take classes every day. They also helped us learn a bit of mathematics, besides making others at least learn, read and write their names.” Manoj was able to return back home in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh along with his family members on April 29. Manoj and his family had come to harvest crops in the Meghadand village of Merta city in Rajasthan. Did you know Versova Relief Camp Is Sheltering More Than 280 Homeless People & Migrants?
They worked for 15 days before the nationwide coronavirus lockdown was imposed. The school administration revealed that the migrant workers were relatives. Their homes were situated on border districts, Baran in Rajasthan and Guna in Madhya Pradesh. In spite of being quarantined in a village school in Nagaur district, away from their loved ones, these migrant workers willingly learnt a new skill and made the most of this situation. This is the inspiration we all need!