To increase awareness about government schools in her village, Sarita Rai organizes a rally where she distributes pamphlets and interacts with the parents convincing them about the significance of such schools and how at very low fees their child can get a good quality education.

On December 1st, 1999, begins the journey of a gracious, astounding personality, Mrs Sarita Rai.  She is a role model for her contemporary and upcoming generation of teachers and students. She joined as a teacher at Manduadih Primary School and thereafter she taught at a primary and a secondary school in Bhatti and Kerakatpur respectively. On April 2^nd, 2018 she was appointed as a principal of Manduadih Primary School which had already became a ‘Model English Primary School.’ 

Developing Infrastructure

The UPS Kerakatpur has not always been the way it is currently now. The school did not have cemented floor near the entrance gate which led to muddied grounds during rainy seasons. Classrooms had no windows, and there was leakage and damps in the rooms due to water accumulation and the blackboards were bumpy and damaged causing a hindrance in teaching. Among other irregularities were absence of electricity, clean drinking water and library. The washrooms had old doors with broken latches, school boundaries were not well established and wall paints were blemished and ripped adding to the overall poor infrastructure.

However, Mrs. Sarita did not lose her calm and visited Vikas Bhawan and along with Gram Pradhan and Vikas Bhawan secretary brought a complete renovation of her school. The school now has cemented floors and well-constructed roofs preventing leakage during rain, windows are properly fixed and with assistance from technology like solar panels, there is a proper facility of light and fan. More washrooms for girls and boys have been constructed along with additional taps for clean drinking water. Boundary walls of school are now painted in a decorative manner that is very appeasing. An organized library with all kinds of books for primary school children is created. Subsequently, she is posted at a primary school in Bhatti. She realizes that students do not have proper stationery, school has no supply of electricity, and benches are cracked and broken. Co-operating with her principal who was a revered person in the corresponding village, Sarita Rai, managed to collect all the essential stationeries for students and proper seating arrangement with new and unimpaired benches and desks which has led to the accretion of students in her classroom. 

Light of Hope

Upon joining Primary School Manduadih in 1999, for about three years she followed the similar teaching pattern that was being practised at that school. But once she became the teacher of standard 1, she came up with her own fresh ideas for educating her students. By the year 2003, she puts forward the concept of what is now popularly known as ‘remedial classes’ in her classroom to enhance the fundamentals of each and every student. In district examinations, among top ten students, six are from her school including the topper. She has worked diligently to develop the habit of fluent reading in her pupils and as an outcome, her students within four months could recite twenty rhyming poems.

Devotion and team work

The devotion of her entire school team is highly commendable. All the teachers have painted alphabets, mathematical numerals etc. on the walls of classrooms. This helps children polish their basics.

Fun and educational games are designed on the tiled floors whereon children learn by playing. Once a week each class is taught via projector using ICT tools. Sarita Rai has created her own YouTube channel wherein she posts educational contents and displays it on the projector for her students.

Every Saturday is celebrated as activity day in the school where students display their skills of craft, drawing, dancing, singing etc. with zeal. To increase awareness about government schools in her village, Sarita Rai organizes a rally where she distributes pamphlets and interacts with the parents convincing them about the significance of such schools and how at very low fees their child can get a good quality education. On this account, there is a hike in the admissions of students in her school. The education system is severely affected by the pandemic. She hopes that the classes resume soon keeping up the motivation and interest of parents and students alike.

Holistic Development of Students!

Sarita Rai focuses on an overall personality development of students. The morning assembly is held on mics and speakers for about 45-50 minutes including two prayers in both Hindi and English followed by pledge in English.  A blackboard is installed on one of the walls of the assembly hall where new quotes and some general knowledge facts are written which students read and learn. Mrs. Sarita remarks that when she started writing quotes in English, she felt guilty, that her students are not able to understand what is written on the board and it bothered her. However, as years passed she observed an incredible improvement and presently more than 60% students of 4^th and 5^th standard are able to read and understand the written quotes.

After assembly, Under the ‘Mission Shikshan Samvad’ Sarita Rai teaches general knowledge to the students to spread awareness about current social issues. Yoga is conducted on a daily basis, giving equal importance to both physical and mental health of students. Every Saturday, quiz competitions among student teams are held whereby each student gets the chance to give answers. Appreciation and prizes are distributed to the winners and a sense of healthy competition is inculcated into children’s mind. The students who secure top positions in academics at the school are given prizes for their excellent cognitive skills.

Comfort and appreciation sum up in 100% attendance

She promotes a homely and comfortable atmosphere for both her students and teachers. The school celebrates every festival Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas and children actively participate in all the cultural activities like diya making, rangoli making, rakhi making etc. On the last Saturday of each month the school celebrates birthdays of the students with pomp and joy.

“The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated”, puts William James aptly. The students of Sarita Rai’s primary school are not immune to positive reinforcement. She decides to give red ribbons to all those students who regularly come to school and applauds them. Eager to gain appreciation, all the students have started attending school daily, resulting in 100% attendance and the school has been awarded for the same. 

Honor and Appreciation

In inter-school sports competition, her students have achieved two gold medals and one silver medal and the school has secured second position. Since last year she has been organizing a five days summer camp where various activities like mehndi, painting, chitrakala, yoga competitions are held. Annual functions are conducted where all the parents and alumni are invited and children perform different programs.

Mrs. Sarita Rai is the recipient of an award by the District Magistrate, Varanasi..  She is awarded for her efforts for building a better infrastructure and uplifting the condition of her school.

She is awarded for organizing inter-school quiz competition. And multiple other honors have been bestowed upon her.

Mrs. Rai seeks inspiration from her surroundings, from her colleagues and commits to her students unconditionally. She embodies the spirit that “all change starts with a distant rumble at the grassroots level”.

We congratulate inspiring teacher like Sarita Rai who is working for the society and its future leaders. SarkariSchool.in salutes the creators of India’s tomorrow Mrs. Sarita Rai, her efforts and dedication. Sarkari Sabse Asarkari!!!

(With Vanya Sinha)

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