Many teachers prefer to work in schools in their home town, but R. Kanagaraj has chosen the government school for tribals in Pilloor to start his career.
He works at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Alathivachinampalayam near Karamadai, where 90 per cent of the students are Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.
“As a former child labourer, I know the difficulties of students with a poor family background. I like to work for them,” says Mr. Kanagaraj, son of a cobbler and a physically challenged mother, who used to work in cotton fields and reared cattle when he was a III standard student.
When his family’s financial condition forced him to quit school and become a child labourer, he was spotted by officials of the Labour Department and his entry into a school run under National Child Labour Project became possible. This institution prepares beneficiary children to join mainstream schools.
“In the child labour school, I acquired many skills like candle-making while pursuing education. As a teacher, I teach my students general knowledge and other subjects that will empower them,” said Mr. Kanagaraj. More than 15 former child labourers have become teachers in the State.
E. Rajeswari, head of the Panchayat Union Primary School in R.S. Mangalam in Ramanathapuram district, worked in the match industry before she was rehabilitated by Labour department. She belongs to Thiruthangal near Sattur.
“I had no electricity at my residence. My parents agreed to send me to school when officials promised that I would receive Rs. 100 per month and could learn tailoring and others skills,” says Ms. Rajeswari, adding whenever she narrated her life story, her students found it incredible. “But I could see my story was an inspiration,” she said.
Nithya is happy that she has become a teacher at one of the schools for child labourers, where she was a student once. She chose it though the salary there was comparatively low.
She studied till III standard and took up work in the beedi industry as her father who faced neurological problems could not work. “My mother eked out a livelihood as a worker and education was beyond reach in a family of five sisters,” she said. After attending the school for child labourers, she joined the Adi Dravidar Government Higher Secondary School in Pernambut. Even though she was interested in higher education, Ms. Nithya had to take up a job to support her family. The Labour department appointed her a teacher in its school at Peranampet.
“I have to be content with what I have now,” she said. Unlike others who were school dropouts, M. Reshma, now working as a teacher at Kalaimagal Vidyalaya Matriculation, in Peranampet never attended school till she was eight. “I could not afford to attend school because of my family circumstances,” she said.
After completing the bridge course at the school for child labourers, she joined VI standard at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School. She then graduated from M.K. Jain College for Women in Vaniyambadi in English literature. Subsequently, she completed B.Ed., and got the present job.
“I actually wanted to pursue post-graduation in English literature. But with three elders sisters and a brother I am left with very little option, but higher education remains a passion,” she said.
