For the last three years, parents of Jia Dhulgaj (8) are trying to get her admitted to a decent English medium school in Vakola.
For the last three years, parents of Jia Dhulgaj (8) are trying to get her admitted to a decent English medium school in Vakola. Their hopes brightened when a media firm employee Vaibhav Vishal promised to help them and even pay the expenditure for the same. However, what happened next, is simply a tale of bureaucracy, parochial mindset of schools and the society.
Karamjit and Heena both work as housekeeping staff in two firms and wanted to admit their daughter to a nearby English medium school in Vakola, Santacruz where they stay. However, several schools denied admission to Jia offering excuses as the child will find it difficult to cope with the rigour of studies in an English medium school, they didn't have vacancies and some simply didn't allow them even inside the school gates.
"Jia is currently studying in Gurukul School at Nalasopara. She lives with her grandmother who is 85 years old and is not able to look after her. This is one reason why we want to bring her to live with us. Also, we do not want to compromise on her education, we are ready to work relentlessly to pay for her expenses," said Karamjeet.
The mother, Heena who has studied only up to high school in Gujarati medium wants her kids to study in better schools. "I do not want them to end up working like we do. I am worried about my younger son, Arush, who will have to be admitted to nursery in a year or so. Owing to our poor living conditions, I fear he will not be taken in a good school either," she added.
Vishal, who works with a media firm, spotted Jia who had accompanied her mother a few months ago to the office where he works. When he got to know that both Karamjeet and Heena wanted to get JIa admitted in a local school, he offered to help. But even for Vishal it has been a moving experience that is yet to yield any fruit.
"I have been trying for Jia's admissions since December 2015, yet I feel I have failed her. After experiencing the school's attitude myself, I could imagine how they must have treated the poor parents. I was kept waiting for hours to meet the principal. Some denied admissions over phone itself. While some schools listened patiently, they claimed they didn't have any seat for her. Though she had good grades in Class 2, none of the schools accepted her application," said Vishal.
Unable to get Jia in a local school, Vishal tried to use the social media – which these days almost surely resolves the issues given the government's focus on it. He tweeted to the State's Education Minister Vinod Tawde and the tweets were even tagged to the Chief Minister. All Vishal could manage was getting in touch with the minister's PR person, who never got back after taking all information.
Vishal tried to use the Right to Education act to secure admission.But he was told that the act was applicable only if the child were to be admitted to first standard, not Standard 3.
When dna tried to speak to Tawde, his personal staff claimed the minister was busy in a meeting and was not in a position to speak.
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 "Jia Dhulgaj")
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