IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR INDIAN MOTHER TO GET EDUCATION

CHITTORGARH, Rajasthan, India – Setting an example for almost 1.2 million dropouts in the state, Twenty-three-year-old Parvati Devi joined school along with her son Ramesh last month during the recently launched drive of the state government to connect each child with education
Devi is no ordinary woman. Belonging to a remote village in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district, she goes hand-in-hand with her six-year-old son to school to study.

• According to Parvati, some teachers from the government school in her village. She had never thought that education is important for her son and believed that he would also join her ancestral work of farming,
• The teachers invited her to visit the village school and she did. She then knew from the staff how education can change a person's life. Parvati felt ashamed that she was a dropout.
• She not only decided to send Ramesh to school regularly but also vowed to pursue studies herself till at least graduation.
• "I discussed the idea with my family members," she said. "Initially they were reluctant, thinking about what other villagers would say as most women here prefer to remain indoors. But after persuasion they agreed and gave me the permission. I was so happy."
• The school staffs were unsure over which class she should join at her age.
• "She really wished to join the school. Due to her age, she was inducted in Class 8 directly," said Government Girls Upper Primary School principal Vandana Vijayvargiya. The school shares a compound with Devi's son's school. "She was earlier educated till Class 2. She has promised that she would catch up soon."
• The all-girl school, which is up to Class 8, has over 110 students.
• "In the past month, Parvati has kept her promise and is taking studies very seriously," the principal said.

Devi's father Kishan Lal is extremely happy over his daughter's decision to get educated.
"She had dropped out of school after primary education as we thought she should be more adept at household work. Parvati has proved us wrong," he said.

Source: Agency, photo:illustrated