(Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)ĭhawale, who has been teaching for 17 years, joined the Pune Zilla Parishad as shikshan sevak in 2006. Her elder sister Rasika, a Class 6 student, walks to Andgaon, a few kilometres from Atalwadi. Six-year-old Siya is the only child in the settlement in the 6-9 age group. On days when school is closed, she asks, ‘Madam yenar naahi ka? (Is madam not coming today)’.” Siya’s mother Sarika added, “Siya seems to be doing well in school. Her mother accompanied her till she grew comfortable with me,” the teacher said. She was so shy that she didn’t speak at all for the first eight days. Since there is no anganwadi in the village, she did not have any elementary education when she started here. Samarth also learns a few things in the process. “It’s good for Siya to have some company. Though he accompanies Siya to school at times, Dhawale doesn’t mind his presence in class. Most of these 21 schools are located in the district’s hilly talukas. The Atalwadi school is among 21 of 3,638 primary schools in Pune district with a single student and single teacher. Their younger brother Samarth is just 3-year-old. Like Siya, Rasika was the only student at the Atalwadi school when she was in Classes 3 and 4.
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