Vinod Tawde welcomes students back to school

As hundreds of schools reopened on Wednesday, June 15, some students were surprised to be welcomed back to school by none other than education minister Vinod Tawde. The minister welcomed the students with sweets and balloons and termed it as a celebration and reiterated the state government’s intent to provide education to all. He also oversaw personally the enrolment of 22 out-of-school children.

Mr Tawde started the day by scouring the periphery of Mantralaya with the help of an NGO and identified some out-of-school children living on the footpaths and maidan and met their parents and coaxed them to send their children to school. He then handed the children school uniforms and then made them board a school bus and accompanied them on their journey to the Lord Harris municipal school at Dhobi Talao in the bus.

A spokesperson said that after enrolling the students in the school, Mr Tawde visited other municipal schools in the vicinity to encourage students studying there and make them realise the importance of education.

“The joy and fervour on the faces of the students on the first day of school is very heartening and we want that the joy is reflected on the face of each and every child who goes to school,” said Mr Tawde.

He also interacted with the students and fielded questions from them. He also asked them whether the timing of the school was appropriate for them and also repeated a few poems with them.

Mr Tawde also distributed some of the 27 items that BMC school gives to the students free of cost every year.

Some local political leaders of other parties also welcomed students in the schools in their areas by gifting sweets and flowers to students on the first day. This trend according to some teachers is very positive and makes the students feel important.

Such a move will serve as a precedent for students to feel wanted and cared for by the school and also help them overcome the angst of going to school after a long vacation, they said.