"I dropped out of school as the high school was far, and I could not afford a daily trip. While there was a private school nearby, the fees were very high."
Kajal Upadhyay lives in Sutar khedi village, located in the Mhow block of Madhya Pradesh's Indore district. Her primary schooling took place at the government school in her village, and for the reasons mentioned above, she discontinued her studies. Her family members - both mother and father - work as labourers and their income is sufficient to meet only the basic needs of the family. Kajal accepted this fact and discontinued her studies. But deep down in her mind, there was a desire to complete her studies. "I was attracted to the police force, but as I dropped out of school, my confidence levels dipped. It was as if there was no opportunity to grow", she says.
Hence, when she met a representative from Pratham who informed her about the Second Chance program, there was first a moment of disbelief for her. Is there such an opportunity? And will I be able to complete my education till 10th grade? These were the initial thoughts in Kajal's mind when she first heard about the program. But she thanks the Pratham team for an effective counselling which ultimately convinced her, and she joined the program.
"The village where I stay is conservative. However, my parents supported me in this decision", she says. Kajal soon adapted to the program, and in a few weeks, she became a part of it. "In my school, the teachers used to teach very little, and a large part was given as homework. Most of us did not understand anything, and we lagged behind. However, here we study in groups, and it was the most helpful thing. The teachers at the centre taught well, answered all our questions and hence we did not face any difficulty in our homework", she says.
With the help of her teachers, her fellow classmates and more importantly, with all her efforts, Kajal passed the 10th-grade examination in 2015, after a gap of two years. "My confidence is back", she says. She sees a complete transformation in herself as now she feels there are opportunities ahead. "My parents also now know that there are multiple options ahead, and I have a qualification to pursue any of them. But now I am confident that I can join the police force or the army. It is wonderful that passing an examination could do so much to me."
Kajal has now learned to browse the internet, and she now uses it to gather information about the entrance examinations required for joining the police force. Her next academic target is 12th grade, and that also seems easily achievable. "I run every morning, follow it with physical exercises and then study for my 12th grade. I am confident that both the outcomes, passing 12th grade and joining the army or the police force, are easily achievable. And I thank the 10th-grade milestone for the change and confidence in me", she says with a smile.
Kajal Upadhyay lives in Sutar khedi village, located in the Mhow block of Madhya Pradesh's Indore district. Her primary schooling took place at the government school in her village, and for the reasons mentioned above, she discontinued her studies. Her family members - both mother and father - work as labourers and their income is sufficient to meet only the basic needs of the family. Kajal accepted this fact and discontinued her studies. But deep down in her mind, there was a desire to complete her studies. "I was attracted to the police force, but as I dropped out of school, my confidence levels dipped. It was as if there was no opportunity to grow", she says.
Hence, when she met a representative from Pratham who informed her about the Second Chance program, there was first a moment of disbelief for her. Is there such an opportunity? And will I be able to complete my education till 10th grade? These were the initial thoughts in Kajal's mind when she first heard about the program. But she thanks the Pratham team for an effective counselling which ultimately convinced her, and she joined the program.
"The village where I stay is conservative. However, my parents supported me in this decision", she says. Kajal soon adapted to the program, and in a few weeks, she became a part of it. "In my school, the teachers used to teach very little, and a large part was given as homework. Most of us did not understand anything, and we lagged behind. However, here we study in groups, and it was the most helpful thing. The teachers at the centre taught well, answered all our questions and hence we did not face any difficulty in our homework", she says.
With the help of her teachers, her fellow classmates and more importantly, with all her efforts, Kajal passed the 10th-grade examination in 2015, after a gap of two years. "My confidence is back", she says. She sees a complete transformation in herself as now she feels there are opportunities ahead. "My parents also now know that there are multiple options ahead, and I have a qualification to pursue any of them. But now I am confident that I can join the police force or the army. It is wonderful that passing an examination could do so much to me."
Kajal has now learned to browse the internet, and she now uses it to gather information about the entrance examinations required for joining the police force. Her next academic target is 12th grade, and that also seems easily achievable. "I run every morning, follow it with physical exercises and then study for my 12th grade. I am confident that both the outcomes, passing 12th grade and joining the army or the police force, are easily achievable. And I thank the 10th-grade milestone for the change and confidence in me", she says with a smile.
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