The Map of India is divided into Red, Orange and Green zones based on restrictions due to COVID-19 which has enforced lockdown all over India. Schools are shut due to the lockdown till atleast June to ensure social distancing norms. During these times, the Education Department is trying to reach children through online sources. The Education Department of Madhya Pradesh’s Government has come up with an innovative application ‘ELeap’ to continue education of the students.
 
Teacher- Always a Teacher
The process of spreading the application to different parts of the state was however difficult. Reaching out to children in Sendhwa block of MP was a major challenge because the habitat is scattered and there is lack of internet connectivity. The village Mahariya Falya Umri located about 30 km from the headquarters of Sendhwa, is no different. Comprising mainly of marginal farmers and daily workers with a low level of income that is meagre to indulge in a phone, leave alone a smart phone. The lack of resources make it difficult for the children and teachers of the village to access the E-Material circulated. 

In this scenario, Nemichand, a temporary teacher in the primary school comes as a ray of hope. He has innovated a solution by accessing the library set up by Room to Read in the government school. Room to Read provides age-appropriate books to inculcate reading habits in children and guide the teachers on how to read stories aloud to children and awaken their interest in reading. This is underlined by the premise that children who will develop a habit of reading will be better educated and success will follow as a natural outcome. 

Nemichand, a trained teacher by Room to Read, starts his day at the crack of dawn to overcome the challenges posed by lockdown for children to spread education. He selects age-appropriate books from the library according to the learning levels of children and travelling around the village, distributing books to children in each and every house of these scattered villages. Moreover, he reads out stories to children and discusses the stories as per his training. Every second day, he takes the books back and gives a new set of books to the children. Nemichand ensures that the books are sanitized before and after the distribution. 

Nemichand is of the opinion that if he does nothing for the children of the village while residing in the village, then there is no justification for him living there. He says, “If my efforts enhance the children’s ability to read, then I will be able to justify my existence. I will not allow this pandemic to have a deleterious impact on the children of my village”. Nemichand has proven to be a warrior in the village of Mahariya Falya Umri by allowing the curve of education to be flattened for 41 children. Children wake up at the rooster’s crowing at the break of dawn “cock-a-doodle-doo”and eagerly await their favourite sir every second day. He is a true teacher who has opened the windows to the world for children of this tribal village at a time when the doors have been closed to stay safe at home from the global CORONA virus pandemic.