Outside east Delhi court, this 25-year-old spreads the word

NEW DELHI: After lunch hour, while an honourable judge is giving his verdict in a

Karkardooma courtroom

, 35-odd children are getting enlightened in its

backyard

.


Rachit John, a 25-year-old graduate, teaches these children (Monday to Saturday) from 1.30pm to 3.00pm. He started his free school under the sky in 2017. He went to many

slums

in

Anand Vihar

in east Delhi to find young boys and girls whose parents were unable to send their kids to school.

John said: “Without money, no one can achieve good education. I’m also from a poor family and I have faced a lot of problems in my childhood; so, I don’t want others to face the same situation. That’s why I have started this class under the sky.”

Some of his students also go to school. But as their parents are unable to guide them at home, “Rachit Sir” is there to solve the problem. One of his promising Class VIII students, Asha (12), said: “At times, I can’t follow what the teacher is saying at school. But Rachit bhaia make things easy.” John carries books for his students. He is aware of the fact that his students may not have money to buy them. He said: “The real challenge is to provide study material to the kids.”

Private tuition is his only source of income. As much as 60% of that is diverted towards teaching these kids. He teaches English, science and maths. John wants his students to gain confidence in spoken English so that they can get decent jobs and gain respectability in society. At times, John takes these slum kids to the science museum for wider exposure. Nine-year-old Heena, daughter of a daily wager, studies in RSKV, Kiran Vihar. She comes to John’s class daily after school. She said: “My parents can’t help me with my home work. I come to Rachit sir to clarify what I can’t understand at school.”

Many of John’s students are school dropouts. But they are happy to get another shot at learning, thanks to John.


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