No one was bothered about her sorrow, pain, problems. After hearing the details, I went with her to the railway police. She narrated her story in front of the government railway police (GRP), who simply said to wait till his immediate boss came. Then the police officer got busy with his work like maintaining his register and asking his subordinates for a cup of tea.
I also remained busy taking phone calls from the MTs and AMs of my responsible districts as well as from principals of DIETs. After giving some food to the old lady I continued talking with MTs, talking to the principals, clearing doubts of MTs and AMs, talking to our accountant regarding sending of advance to the partners and MTs etc.
Between the talks, senior boss of the police was listening to my way of talking, my expression and my request as well as communicating style to our MTs etc. During the conversation with Officer-in-charge, GRP, 5-6 phone calls came to my cell phone and I would disconnect all calls. He asked me, who are you and what are you doing? And he asked his subordinate to check my luggage. Nothing sir just papers, I replied. Blank testing tools, survey booklets, pilot booklets, ASER letter to Sarpanch & headmaster, my laptop, charger with some clothes. Nothing sir!!! Only ASER ASER…. ASER papers, replied the checking officer.
You get so many phone calls, I don’t get so many even in a month (app ka bahut phone calls ataa he, mera to mahina me itna nehin hoga). Show me your phone, I want to see your cell phone (apna phone dikhao, mere ko dekhna he)
Frightened, I handed over my cell phone. While he was checking my phone one call came from an MT and he picked up the phone. He was listening. I don’t know what he heard from my DIET principal or my MTs…. and after half listening he was disappointed. He disconnected the call and kept the phone on his table.
So many calls came so he finally got irritated and switched off my cell phone. He wanted to know about me and my job. I simply said, Sir, my train has already gone and I have to wait here till tomorrow morning so please let the old woman go with her belongings. Then I will tell you the details about my organisation.
Placing her dirty hand on my head the woman left, smiling.
I explained about ASER, 30 villages in a district and 20 households in a village with 5th household rule, data collection of children of 3-16 years, testing of children of 5-16 years, its impact, role of common man, about testing tool, the process of testing, the way of asking questions, the way of keeping records, data entry and finally up to release at national level etc. He was astonished to listen to all this.
Where do you want to go? one of the officers asked me. I said DIET Rayagada which is 55 km far away from Rayagada town. There was no train at that time. I requested to leave my luggage there while I went for dinner. No problem, replied the constable of GRP. Where are you going? Going to take my dinner sir!
Wait, I will accompany you. He asked me to take the ASER papers with me. He pointed to some children who were playing on the platform. Some of them were sleeping also. Asked me to take their test.
I started testing. He was surprised to see the result that 6 out of 9 children could not read a paragraph. A few were at word level and a few were at letter level. All were dropouts. All were 14-15 year old boys who had dropped out in class 6 and 7. They could not solve the subtraction. All were in two digit number level (10-99). He lined up all children and asked about their problem of reading. They replied so haltingly it was hard to understand.
By then it was a quarter to ten at night. We came back to his office. Whispering some words he asked what do you think is the reason behind this problem? Why can’t they read fluently? I said we all are responsible. Parents, society, environment, culture, teachers, SMC of the village, school etc.
He requested me to start a coaching class for the homeless children. I replied that if any person or organisation will take a lead then we will provide him/her training free of cost and also we will provide all reading materials free of cost.
We took our dinner in his office. It was about 11.30pm when we finished our talk. He asked a TTE to send me on a train free of cost. The TTE accompanied me till Berhampur station and asked his co-worker to guide me if I had any difficulties. I reached Rayagada at 5am and I received my first call from the officer in charge, GRP.
Thanks to the police person who understood about ASER. I am waiting for his response on finding a good person or a good organisation so that the homeless children can learn and have a better future.
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