Every year, DSS celebrates the birth anniversary of Savitribhai Phule, on an educational theme to inspire the dalit/Adivasi women on the importance of education. Savitribhai Phule was a visionary who established schools for educating women, 100 years ago and motivated the women from marginalized sections to get educated. This was a courageous fete and an adventure those days. Even the women of dominant castes were not educated and were not sent to schools those days, not to think of women from depressed castes. To visualize education for depressed castes and to venture doing it practically was a great adventure and Savitribhai Phule practically did it. She couldn’t do it smoothly and she was heckled, attacked and insulted for going against the prevailing norms.
Being a visionary, she withstood against all odds and pursued her ideal of education for all with commitment risking her life. For this reason, she is hailed as the first woman teacher of India and
DSS celebrates her birth anniversary to remind and motivate the women to concentrate on education. This year DSS conducted a Conference on " Quality Education -Still a Battle for the Poor " on the eve of Savitribhai Phule birth anniversary, at Ambedkar Resource Centre, Lakadika pool, Hyderabad. Sri. Chetana, IPS, DCP of Peddapalli attended the meeting as Chief guest, while Sri. Charulatha, Scientist, Sri. Girija, Director, CPF, Sri. Shankar, Sri. Sajaya, Sri. Vanajakshi, Dr. Siddoji Rao and others participated as guests of honor. Sri. Jhansi Geddam, National Convenor, Dalit Sthree Sakthi presided over the meeting. Women, leaders of women collectives enthusiastically participated in the meeting.
Jhansi Geddam: Our state is lagging behind in education and even now girls’ education is neglected. Within the families also there is lot of discrimination and the parents send the girls to government schools while joining the boys in private schools paying high fees.
But with my experience of having observed both type of schools I can say that the private schools are as bad as government schools.
May be a very few schools of far high level like Doon schools are good but all ordinary private schools are as bad as any other in terms of imparting quality education. Even those educated in private schools are not getting suitable jobs. We should try to improve the government schools by pressurizing the government to allocate requisite budgets for infrastructure and teachers.
Ms. Girija: It is so great that Savitribhai Phule thought of women education in 1800, during the British rule when there was no cooperation from the government or society. Even after long gap of independence still there is only minor transformation in girls’ education but not much. There is lot to be done with regards to the education of tribal girls. Tribals are in isolation and many schools are only single teacher schools.
Transportation is a major problem. Despite such gaps there is lot of enthusiasm among these tribal girls to get educated. We need to plan much and see that the tribals are drawn into the mainstream society. As suggested by Jhansi, for quality education it is necessary to improve standards from Anganwadi to higher education. We have to develop concrete plans for ending discrimination of girls and educate the society. Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare hostels and schools have to be equipped in terms of infrastructure, teachers etc. and for this the government should increase budget allocations from the routine 3%. We have to bring pressure on the government in this regard. We should see that even the private schools are improved from the routine pattern of pressurizing the children on syllabus and bringing them up as if they are chicken stock.
Ms. Charulatha: The topic selected for the celebration of Savitribhai Phule birth anniversary is excellent. Hundred years back Savitribhai visualized the need for gender equality and need for education of women. Though she was not educated and was married at the age of 9 years, she got educated and became a teacher. She run night schools for working women and girls. She courageously faced all attacks like throwing mud, filthy abuses and ridicule. If mother is educated, she can supervise the children’s education.
All Dalits should be educated and that is why Dr.B.R. Ambedkar said women should be developed and insisted on education. B.R. Ambedkar paid attention for the development of all women and not just dalit women. Government schools are made better by Sri. R.S. Praveen Kumar and we are thankful to him. All mothers should concentrate on education of the children without discrimination between boys and girls. We should continuously monitor the education of children and interact with the teachers also. We should know that educated girl can lead better family life. We are thankful to Jhansi for her fulltime commitment to the community.
Ms. Sajaya: You try to imagine that nearly 200 years ago a young girl got educated and worked for the education of other women, despite attacks and mudslinging. In the society 200 years ago, it was unimaginable for a woman from depressed caste to do such a herculean task. But now there is no such restrictions, but we are not paying that much attention to education. You are experts in cooking and drawing Muggulu.
You are so aware of the science of cooking perfectly. Education is not difficult but we are denied and kept away from education by the dominant sections. It was Savitribhai Phule, who broke this view and declared that education is for all. You should take the responsibility of monitoring Anganwadi and schools so that they will improve in food and teaching. You should be able to question wherever necessary. You should learn, question and achieve. Most women are used to watching TV serials. You should try to analyze what message these TV serials are communicating.
Mr. Sanker: Jhansi regularly educates the dalit women. It is unfortunate that women are being harassed after marriage and I would suggest that we can think of changing the present pattern of a married woman going to reside in the in-law’s home. Instead of this pattern is it better for the boy to reside in the home of the wife after marriage. Let us think about it.
Ms. Sumathi: It is difficult for a mother to bring one child, but in Anganwadi we bring up and educate 30/40 children. We are able to run the Anganwadi in the best possible way. We are not provided even the minimum needs like utensils, wash rooms, but we are able to carry on the Anganwadi in the best possible way.
Sri. Siddoji: We have to celebrate Savitribhai Phule birth anniversary as teachers’ day as she is the first teacher. You are leaders and you should have certain abilities to be a leader. Savitribhai Phule dedicated her life for the betterment of women. During 1900 only 3% were educated and they were men only. You should be modern and not traditional. Modern means using your mind and traditional means not using our mind. You should be reasonable, logical and only then we can know our rights. I appeal to you to think of the rights of others and cooperate them for the enjoyment of rights. Only if we take the responsibility then only, we can enjoy our rights. We should recognize the rights of women. We should be able to demand for proper schools, budget etc., then only we can expect quality education. A boy is getting more happiness outside than in school. We can make a boy to go to school if we can make the school a happy place.
Ms. Vanajakshi: Education is important. If there are a few among you who are not educated, you can learn while educating your children. Age is not a bar for education.
Mr. Narsimhulu: Jhansi madam is inspiring us and we should use our brains and think logically. We should develop our knowledge to be useful to the society.
Mr. Mallesh: Jhansi madam is continuously in touch with our colony in Gundala village. We are able to carry on many social activities with the help of DSS.
Ms. Chetana was felicitated by Ms. Vanajakshi and the leaders of Chenvelli and Gundala villages and coordinators of DSS.
Ms. Chetana, IPS: I am happy to be amongst you and I am proud to be recognized as daughter of Mr. Satish Chander. All of us should be grateful to Savitribhai Phule for initiating education for women. We are sending our children to schools despite so many difficulties. Education is so important that it is the ladder for social mobility, employment and political positions. Rich people are able to attend high standard schools. Understanding other human beings is real education. There is no difference between human beings. No caste, no religion and no other barriers. Jiddu Krishnamurthy said every human being is history of human kind and is manifestation of evolution of human race. First need of human beings is food and then education. All are equals in the society but there is lot of discrimination. After schooling if a poor boy goes to town, he has to face the English language. English is a big barrier and the children are ridiculed.
It is the dominant castes that require to be educated about discrimination, inequalities. But, the problems of the oppressed castes are not in the text books. International schools only turnout robots without heart. In IITs, IIMs these international school students with rich and dominant caste background humiliate the Dalits and a few of the Dalits are committing suicides. We ask the Dalits to get educated but what is immediately needed is annihilation of caste. Without eradicating caste how can anyone be educated in the existing education system. How can a poor dalit compete in the present education system. The content and technique of education has to be overhauled. The education system that creates robots without heart should be changed. Even in politics also Dalits play secondary role and become insignificant and powerless after his reservation term is over. We should be able to demand our share in all resources. We should realize that we are born like anybody and we are as equal as anybody. With this realization, we should be able to demand qualitative education since it is our right and it is not our fault that we are deprived.
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