Model schools give ray of hope to HIV affected kids
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 07 2011: The Model Schools that have been set up by the Government of Manipur with special emphasis on ensuring quality education are offering a ray of hope to HIV affected children as well.

It is the aspiration of every parent to educate their children and send them to reputed schools with adequate infrastructures.

But not every parent has been lucky enough due to various constraints.

Over the last few years, most State run schools have been declining popularity following lack of infrastructures and adequate teachers while the private schools, which have mushroomed all over the State, have been trying to attract the students and their parents along with ensuring all the infrastructures required for education.

However, rising cost of education in private schools is something that not every parent, specially the poor ones, could afford even if they want their children to have the best education.

This problem is all the more serious for those families affected by HIV/AIDS.

However, giving a ray of hope to such families, Model Schools have extended education to two HIV affected sisters, whose mother has also been living with HIV after their father died from AIDS.

The eldest sister passed class X (matriculation) examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur last year with letter marks in three subjects and high scores in aggregate.

She had given the examination from a Model School and now she is enjoying education free of cost in a private school for her 10-plus 2 .

The younger sister is still studying in the same Model School and always manage to get a spot in the first three top position of any examination conducted in her class.

After the death of their father, the mother worked hard to ensure their education in a good private school since nursery class.

Subsequently, the elder daughter got the opportunity of studying class IX and 10 at the Model School, and the younger sister from class VIII .

Expressing happiness on the opportunity that the Model School has extended to her daughters for their education, the mother told The Sangai Express that earlier she used to face great financial difficulties while her daughters were studying in private schools.

But now, there is no such hardships.

The mother further said that while her daughters were studying in private schools, at least Rs 1800 is spent on admission of just one daughter.

In addition to this, there were expenditures on montly tuition fee of Rs 250, school uniforms, text books, notebooks, etc.

Now she just have to spend Rs 250 on admission and the text books, school uniforms, notebooks, etc are being provided free of cost.

"Apart from all these facilities, what I like most about the Model School is that the teachers are very dedicated in their duties," the mother said.

"Normally, both my daughters grew up to be good students.

But to ensure proper education for them has not been an easy task for a young widow like me who too has been affected with HIV.

But all these worries is no more after their admission in the Model School," the mother said.

While disclosing that initially her younger daughter refused to go to school on learning that it is Government school where she is to study but today, she says that it is a great loss if she misses class even for a day, the mother desired that all the Government schools should be converted to Model Schools and provide adequate infrastructures so that all HIV affected children can also have quality education just like any other children.

The youngest daughter, who is still studying in the Model School and keeping alive her dream of becoming a doctor in future said, 'Studying in Model School is great' .

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