Statesman News Service
KALIMPONG, June 24. — 22-year-old Rosy Chettri, a dropout from a school here, is finally living up to her dreams, that of being an earning member of her family.
As she quit school in the ninth standard, a couple of years back, she could hardly have imagined of being able to do something in life.
Now besides being trained with crafts skills at the technical institute of Don Bosco, Echhey Rosy is also helping the locals to build up a better future.
Aiming for the dual purpose of a complete learning process for their students as well as helping the young school going children in the area to perform better in academics the Don Bosco have hit upon the SOS or what the have termed as the Sunday oratory school.
“Its is a teaching process known as the students teach students (STS) classes carried out by our trainees every Sunday for three hours,” director of the technical school, Brother Johny sdb said. Started from 14 November 2004 the SOS aims for educating students mainly in subjects like English and Mathematics besides conducting classes for games, sports and guides, dance, music, singing, acting, yoga and leadership training etc.
The SOS has been accepting students hailing form the
location of lower and upper Ecchey and Dalapchand. “We had never thought that we will able to get such a good response but after the first few classes more students started turning out. It has certainly helped the
children to become more educated and perform well in studies,” Brother Johnny said.
At present 38 Don Bosco technical trainees are educating a total of 112 students. “Our trainees have also been hugely benefiting from such classes as it also helps them to perform well in studies”, he added
The SOS classes are conducted from grade two to eight. Emphasising that such classes have been hugely beneficial for him Anthony Lepcha (19) who is specialising in the tailoring section of craft skill training said: “I feel a lot more confident after having attended these classes.”