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Teachers trek through rugged trails to trace tribal boy, save his board exam chance
Two teachers in Dhanbad trekked to find a missing tribal student, ensuring he submitted his Class 8 exam form, emphasizing the importance of education.
In a heartening example of teachers going beyond classrooms, two government school educators from Hirapur area of Dhanbad travelled through difficult terrain on a motorcycle and on foot to trace a tribal student who had dropped out for months — and ensured his JAC Class 8 board examination form was submitted before the deadline.
A district administration press release said Dilip Kumar Karn, in-charge headmaster of Government Middle School, Teliapada (Hirapur), Dhanbad and assistant teacher Raj Kumar Verma took the initiative to locate Praman Marandi, a Class 8 student who had not been attending school for four to five months.
“We were filling the Class 8 board forms. All other students’ forms were completed, but Praman’s was pending,” Karn said. “His address and mobile number in our records were of no use. Still, we decided, ‘We will find him and get his form filled’.”
With the last date approaching, both teachers intensified efforts under the ‘Prayas’ programme but failed to reach the child. They then learnt that Praman’s elder brother Prem Marandi (Class 10) had filled his board form at Dhanbad High School. Using the records there, they found a permanent address — Mahtotand, Rajganj.
“We took a bike and went around asking teachers of nearby schools about the location,” Verma said. “After Rajganj, we rode about four kilometres. Then we reached a hilly area and had to walk further. There was hardly a proper road.”
On reaching Mahtotand, they discovered the family lived away from the main village, near the foothills. Walking further, they reached the house and met Praman’s mother Pansukhi Devi and brother Prem.
“The mother was very happy when she understood why we had come,” Karn said. After taking her thumb impression on the form documents, the teachers went out to locate Praman.
Nearly two kilometres away, under a hill near the forest, Praman was found playing cricket.
“At first he got scared seeing us,” Verma said. “But when we told him we had come for his board exam form, he smiled.”
Karn said the boy “is committed to studies, but his family circumstances are forcing him away”. The teachers asked him to return to Teliapada, arranged “alternative support for lodging and meals till the exam”, completed the formality of photograph and signatures, and finally submitted his board form.
“We told him clearly — ‘Education is your future. Don’t stop now’,” Karn added.
