Residential school on Kolkata's outskirts is shaking up education for girls by focusing on practical skills over traditional classroom learning. Adhigam Bhoomi,run by non-profit Help Us Help Them,houses 1,000 girls and offers unique curriculum without textbooks up to class 5. Instead,students dive into hands-on learning to gear up for self-sustaining futures .
In Joka,school stresses real-life knowledge applications. From class 6,students blend book knowledge with skill development,prepping them to fit into mainstream society . This initiative targets empowering rural girls,arming them with skills to return as self-reliant entrepreneurs.
Vice Principal Rupa Bhattacharjee pointed to innovative teaching at Adhigam Bhoomi. “They learn maths through weaving,count patterns,biology through growing food,” she said . Students make cleaning products,soaps,applying chemistry practically. Parents,initially skeptical,are warming up to these unconventional methods.
Curriculum covers activities like sanitary napkin making,mat weaving,pottery — all fostering independence,sustainability . School boasts zero-waste status,growing most food indoors,producing manure from waste . Self-sustaining model benefits students,sets environmental responsibility example.
Mukti Gupta,a driving force behind initiative,said Adhigam Bhoomi's success sparked 100 similar schools in West Bengal. “We plan to propose to West Bengal government,Prime Minister,to adopt this model more widely,” she said . Gupta believes program fits within current education budget,feasible for broader rollout.
Goal is to empower young girls to start projects using local resources,cutting need for migration for jobs. Sajjan Bhajanka,CenturyPly chairman,backing initiative from start,stressed importance of skill-based work. “We want to help children find work when they leave here,” he said,adding plans to expand up to class 10 .
Adhigam Bhoomi isn't just a school; it's a future education model blending academic learning with practical skills. Focus on sustainability,self-reliance,aims to craft generation of empowered women ready to contribute to communities…and beyond.
