Delhi's Free School Under The Bridge Celebrates 10 years.

May 16, 2016 11:19 AM

Ramesh Chander, 55, rides his granddaughter 3km (~2 miles) to the school every day

Students getting the "classroom" ready

Phys. Ed. is important, with or without a n actual gymnasium

Now they know their ABCs

A volunteer teacher, Kanchan Yadav, lends her time to the pupils. Her own kids go to a private school, but she still insists on making sure these students are able to build their educations (and hopefully careers).

The founder of the school, Rajesh Kumar, is a college dropout because he couldn't afford to attend. He wants the students to achieve what he wasn't able to.

Girls attend school from 2pm-4pm, while the boys are there from 9am-11am.

Studying hard, because she can.

Students at the school are all documented formally.

Students and Staff, Under The Bridge.

All pictures courtesy Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera

More info (and some more pictures) here: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/05/day-delhi-bridge-school-poor-160511154423330.html

Some video surce of a class in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YYNPnql9YI

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

Do they accept donations?

10 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 4

In the US, maybe we should spend a kid's 1st few years in school teaching them to appreciate their education more.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This. THIS is what kindness and compassion is about.

10 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 9

PHRASING! !

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I want to know why that first guy rides his granddaughter so much.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 7

Future doctors, engineers and Lawyers..

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 7

Under the bridge downtown

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Is it downtown?

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

IIRC, It's across the Yamuna River, near the train tracks, on the east side of New Delhi. Not really "downtown."

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Under the bridge... Downtown...

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Sick of free schools. Any schools. Had my sociology exam. Wanted to die

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 5

All India is to me, is a country full of brutal rapists. I hope these kids will change that

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 21

Um.... what?

10 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 1

I want to go volunteer here

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Well done!

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

yet still most of india poos into designated shitting areas.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 9

It's unfortunate, but more than half of Indians cannot poo into the loo, for lack of toilets, or because villages simply don't use them.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 7

a look of happy people in a bad situation.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hey he rider his granddaughter to school every day

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

This country is wonderful, people are so friendly and giving. I went 8years ago planning to go again soon.

10 years ago | Likes 30 Dislikes 4

As long as your skin is their tone or lighter.

10 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 11

Why is everything in english?

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Because English is a fairly common language for educational discourse in India. It sometimes amazes foreigners that so many ppl speak Eng

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I read the title and thought it said "...collapses after 10 years." I thought this story was some horrific tragedy about a bridge collapse

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

They do more with some blackboard paint and some chalk than we can do with millions of dollars.

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 15

Obviously when they don't even have a school house and everyones poor as fuck. Seems to be a working system.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 6

Idk man, at 2 hours a day it's hard to say they're doing more

10 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

This makes me feel bad about complaining when I don't have art supplies for my students.

10 years ago | Likes 132 Dislikes 2

I once heard of a student who watered down their oils so much to conserve, the paintings resembled watercolour. I was scholarship-lucky.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

No. Children deserve the best that should be available to them. In North America, that should bloody well include art supplies.

10 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 0

It makes me think we don't need to spend huge amounts on technology. You can accomplish great things w/ the basic fundamentals too.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I like your username

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I like yours too! Art is fundamental to education.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

True but don't stop complaining. If people don't know there is a problem, they won't fix it.

10 years ago | Likes 59 Dislikes 1

I wish I could give you more than 1 upvote for those words of wisdom.

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

If you live in a country loaded with money, why feel bad about complaining about it? You're trying to get the best for your students.

10 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

My particular district claims that it doesn't have much money

10 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

There's never much money for the arts, unfortunately.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

My school district cut sports programs before it considered cutting into the music program...then again people only go to games for the band

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Or education in general compared to economical things and warfare.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

+1 for your username

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

We as a country NEED you to have art supplies though.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

How do you dare down voting this? This is nobility at its best.

10 years ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 10

They might be downvoting the source and not the content?

10 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

India doesn't have free public school???

10 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 11

They do have but there are millions of under privilege children and families living either on the streets or slums with no access to schools

10 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 9

India has free public school, but it's very shitty. The teachers have no knowledge of the subjects they teach.

10 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 10

And there is too much corruption in those public schools.

10 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 10

Please, let's NOT talk about corruption, it's too depressing here.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 3

There is ridiculous corruption in Indian public institutions. Maybe you are being downvoted because people don't like corruption?

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Government run schools are crap. There are many private schools with better education.

10 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 11

And if you can't afford it, sorry peasant, go tend to my fields.

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 11

Not in all places. I saw some local charities that helped put children (of all castes) & orphans through school. Many in rural areas.

10 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0