Media Release
Mangaluru, Oct 30: A recurring theme in most Indian government schools today is the increasing number of student dropouts. Students from poor socio-economic backgrounds show disinterest in studies as soon as they enter high school. Many are forced by their parents to either take up jobs or do household chores as soon as they enter high school. These small kids are expected to become the sole bread winners for their families at a very young age.
In order to tackle the above issue prevailing in the government school at National Institute of technology Karnataka (NITK), Incident, NITK Surathkal’s annual cultural fest initiated the 'Beach Schooling programme' last month. Beach Schooling is the flagship event of I-Care, an impactful social initiative of Incident, aimed at bettering the society we live in. This is a year-long programme, wherein NITK students volunteer to interact with these kids every day.
Students from poor family backgrounds residing in and around NITK are taught academics and life skills by a group of 10 enthusiastic NITKians. In this modern 'Gurukula', students are taught not under the banyan tree, but on the NITK beach amidst refreshing air, the resounding glory of temple bells and the dancing waves of the Arabian Sea. Currently, the programme is conducted in the backyards of the famous Sadashiva Temple at Surathkal.
Tiny tots right from pre-school to pre-teen adolescents of high-school are mentored during beach schooling. Even though the primary focus is education, equal importance is given to extracurricular activities as well. Students take part in interesting and fun-filled events like star-gazing, football, cricket, kabbadi, cycling, sand art etc. The motive behind such activities is to instill confidence in these students and ensure that they bloom into well-rounded, proactive individuals, serving as role models to society. It also aims at showing these kids that economic background will never be a hindrance in achieving their dreams as long as they hold onto their dream.
The eagerness to learn, shown by these kids gives the student volunteers a lot of happiness and satisfaction. They visit the lighthouse every week and gaze upon the horizon and get mesmerized by the beauty of nature. Sri Devi, a student from kindergarten, dances and keeps the atmosphere lively. Students sing and energize the atmosphere. Some of them have represented the district in hockey tournaments.
This initiative has inspired the kids to such an extent that 4 members of the same family attend it. Akkamahadevi, a class 4 student, now solves her sister’s math problem who is a class 7 student. That is the magic of this initiative. It is the magic that Team Incident strives to keep alive.
Their mission is to raise awareness about education, get financially or academically poor students interested in studies, make them better individuals by educating them and thus guide them onto the right path of life.