Teachers went door to door to enroll students in schools as part of an annual five-day “School Chale Ham” campaign launched by the state HRD department. The campaign, under the banner of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, aimed at getting students to primary schools. At the end of the campaign, 2.3 lakh students were taken in by government-run schools against a target of 1.5 lakh students. Now, in order to ensure that they do not drop out, the HRD is planning to mobilise volunteers at the village-level. These volunteers will keep track of every student to ensure he/she completes school. There is also a move in the pipeline to provide incentives to parents who need them to keep sending their children in school.

Kalam brings smiles to Cheshire Home

For the inmates of Cheshire Home in Ranchi, mostly physically challenged, it was a dream come true when A P J Abdul Kalam accepted their invitation and paid them a visit. The former president also had an interaction session with them, answering all their questions and giving them hope. Vincent Kacchap, an inmate for the past 18 years who is doing his Plus 2, asked Kalam what he needed to do to become the President of India. Kalam replied: “If you have an aim in life and you are willing to work hard to acquire knowledge with the attitude of solving the problems in life, then nobody can stop you from becoming the President.” The home, set up by the Daughters of Charity in 1972, imparts skill-based training in bookbinding, computers, candle-making and painting.

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