When 32-year-old Vivek Kumar assumed his role as an assistant teacher at Mangal Purwa village in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh in 2018, he was met with a stark reality of low enrolment in his school – there were only 35 students at the local primary school capable of accommodating more than 100.
“The benches were gathering dust and yearned to be occupied,” he said, highlighting the low enrolment at the sole school in this far-flung village sandwiched between Ghagara and its tributary Sharda, two rivers that flow from neighbouring Nepal in the north.
Mangal Purwa, like many rural areas, grappled with the annual monsoon floods, compelling families to migrate to nearby towns and cities in search of livelihood, often sidelining their children’s education.
Government schools in rural India have long battled the challenge of high enrolment figures paradoxically accompanied by poor attendance, a conundrum that successive Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) findings have illuminated.
The recently unveiled ASER 2022 report, a citizen-driven survey spanning rural India, exposed a persistent decline in student attendance, with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar topping the list of underperforming states.
Filmy draw
With a passion for art and an understanding of the power of multimedia, Kumar devised an innovative solution to boost school enrolment and engagement.
“In an era dominated by smartphones, we all consume video content in some form,” he said. “So, I contemplated harnessing this concept within my classroom.”
In 2022, he introduced the idea of creating short films using mobile phones, involving students not just as actors but also as directors and producers.
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This creative approach aimed to make learning more exciting and expressive.
In the space of a week in March 2022, Kumar and his team of budding directors produced their first film, “Parakh”. This emotionally stirring short film weaved a narrative around a young girl whose father staunchly opposed her education.
Featuring students and parents as actors, the film was shared on YouTube, garnering significant attention.
“The scripts of our films are rooted in textbook chapters. Enacting these stories not only imparts filmmaking skills to the children but also fosters greater expressiveness and creativity,” explains Kumar, who now heads the school.
The ripple effect of this innovative initiative traversed the village like viral news, leading to 160 new student enrolments in the past year and an impressive daily attendance of over 100 students.
ABCs of movies
Ten-year-old Saumya Dixit is one of the many students who have returned to the classroom after a prolonged absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her parents, once migrant labourers in the city, were compelled to return to the village amid the pandemic-induced lockdown.
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“My favourite pastime is watching movies on the computer and drawing paintings on Saturdays,” said the fourth-grade student. “I want to study really hard and become a teacher like my Sir,” she shared.
Kumar and his team of three dedicated teachers actively engage in monthly village visits. Their aim is to reconnect as many students as possible with the gift of education.
Word has spread about the school’s transformation. Better infrastructure, functional toilets, a newly erected boundary wall, and a cornucopia of stationery and subject-material sets have breathed new life into the institution. The school has also metamorphosed into a makeshift film studio, equipped with technical tools ranging from microphones, tripods, and speakers to computers.
The impact of this initiative extends beyond academics. The students of Mangal Purwa have discovered their creative potential. A new breed of storytellers is hard at work. Their next cinematic venture, “I am Azad”, a biography delving into the life of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad, is poised for release on Republic Day, 2024.
Sharda Prasad, aged 10, bubbles with excitement at the prospect. “I portrayed Azad’s friend, Batukeshwar Dutt, in the film,” he joyfully recounted. “I enjoyed the rehearsal and the shoot. Vivek Sir said I acted well, so I am happy.”
Kumar’s innovative educational approach is not only bringing life back to a remote school but also changing lives and aspirations in this corner of rural Uttar Pradesh.
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The lead image at the top shows the behind-the-scenes of a film being shot in Mangal Purwa primary school. (Photo by Jyoti Thakur)
Jyoti Thakur is a Delhi-based independent journalist who covers gender, environment and social justice. She was a Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.
