On May 4, 2025, a Non-Formal, Remedial Education Centre was launched at Ganghar Mahadalit Village hamlet in Bodhgaya block of Gaya District, under the aegis of Gaya Nazareth Academy.
This initiative aims to provide quality education to children from the Mahadalit community and empower them to become agents of social change.
Through initiative, Gaya Nazareth Academy is striving to bring systemic change in the Musahar community. It is a socially excluded and marginalized group, and by empowering children to claim their rightful place in society through education. The effort is not just about literacy, but about dignity, inclusion, and long-term transformation.
At the centre, Ms. Simran Khatoon is leading the teaching efforts. She goes beyond textbooks and engages children in sports, physical exercises, art, drawing, storytelling, and public speaking, ensuring their holistic development. Her dedication has made her highly popular among both children and their parents.
The parents are now inspired to send the children to the remedial centres and school, foregoing the daily chores they do at home.
During a survey done in September 2025, it was identified that several children in the village had not been enrolled in school. Following this, I, along with Ms. Simran Khatoon and teachers of other such centers, conducted a detailed door-to-door survey to identify such children and initiate their enrollment.
However, the process was far from easy. One of the major challenges was the lack of essential documents, such as Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, and the unique ID in India called the Aadhaar card. To address this, our team made coordinated efforts with block officials and facilitated the preparation of affidavits through the court to get birth certificates issued, as many parents neglect to register the child’s birth. This required multiple visits to the court and block office, demanding both time and persistence.
The challenges were not limited to documentation. Despite informing parents in advance to be ready for school enrollment, many mothers had gone for wheat harvesting work in landlords’ fields for their livelihood. In several instances, children themselves were sent to call their mothers back so they could accompany them to the school.
Even at the school, the authorities were initially reluctant to admit the children, citing incomplete documentation and asking us to return another day. After multiple discussions and follow-ups, I had to personally intervene and reach out, referring to higher authorities such as the Block Education officer and the DEO at the district level, with whom we have established connections. This helped in finally facilitating the admission process.
Despite these hurdles, our persistent efforts bore fruit. A total of 24 children from Ganghar village were successfully enrolled in the local government school.
The teachers at the school were appreciative of the efforts we had put in, and they informed us if any of the children we enrolled were absent.
This achievement would not have been possible without the constant guidance and support of Sister Roselyn Karakattu of Gaya Nazareth Academy, whose leadership played a crucial role throughout the process.
While this is a small step, it marks a significant beginning. The journey is challenging, but every child brought into the fold of education is a step closer to breaking the cycle of exclusion and building a more just and inclusive society.
Submitted By Abhishek Gupta, Field Supervisor
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A mother put her thumb impression in the school register after admission was done. We are making sure that the next generation will write their names instead.