December 2010 | Local School, Nargakot | 2,000 ft
We inspire, and were inspired.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I get the sense that we are a part of something bigger than we can actually realize. Social change really begins with educated children. The salience of this concept is greatly emphasized in the context of a local village school, nestled amongst the majestic hilltops of the Himalayas.
When I joined the community service trip, I had the over-simplistic concept that we can "just fly to Nepal, conduct our lessons and impart new teaching strategies, and tada!, the standards of education will be markedly improved. In hindsight, I was dreaming. As Mr Neo aptly mentioned during one of the meetings, we are just starting to understand the sheer complexity and multifarious aspects of social change. There are just so many variables that we have to contend with. Even at the familial level, there were cases of parents demanding that their children be promoted despite their grades, which paint a rather contradictory picture of the student's assessments. In such instances, the school usually gives in, and one doesnt need to be a rocket scientist to see the ramifications of these practices.
In my class of 10 students, I can already see the shocking disparities in academic performance among the students.. T.B.C
And this is Tuki Tamang, my favorite student. (:
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