Palamu class 5 girl seeks help at Jan Samadhan, gets new books and school supplies
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, August 21: A Class 5 student in Palamu walked into the district administration’s Jan Samadhan Programme with…
Kirtika receives books and writing materials from Palamu DC Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat during the Jan Samadhan Programme on Thursday.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, August 21: A Class 5 student in Palamu walked into the district administration’s Jan Samadhan Programme with a simple request — she needed new books and notebooks after heavy rains damaged her study materials. Her plea not only caught the attention of Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat but also prompted the administration to take steps to support her education.
Kirtika, who lives with her parents within the Medininagar Municipal Corporation area, met the Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday without either of her parents. Accompanied by a neighbourhood woman, she personally explained her problem to the DC.
The young student told Shekhawat that the recent torrential rains had damaged her textbooks and notebooks because her family lives in a modest dwelling without adequate space or facilities to keep her study materials safe.
DC Immediately Directs Education Officer to Help
Kirtika’s request was straightforward: she wanted a new set of books and notebooks so that her studies would not suffer.
The Deputy Commissioner immediately contacted District Education Officer Sandeep Kumar and directed him to arrange the required books and writing materials for the student at the earliest.
Kirtika subsequently received the promised study materials on Thursday, August 20.
The administration also provided her with Class 5 books, notebooks and preparatory material to help her prepare for the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya entrance examination. She was also given a school uniform and chocolates.
The quantity of books and materials was reportedly so large that the DC asked the DEO to have them sent to Kirtika through the concerned Block Development Officer.
Administration Offers Residential School Admission
District Education Officer Sandeep Kumar told The Jharkhand Story Network that Kirtika currently studies at a public residential school but does not stay in the residential facility. Instead, she attends school while living with her parents in a dilapidated house.
According to Kumar, the recent heavy rains damaged her books and notebooks because her living space does not have adequate facilities for storing them safely.
Following the DC’s intervention, the education department has also offered Kirtika admission to a government residential school equipped with better facilities.
Kumar said Kirtika appeared interested in the opportunity and expressed her desire to prepare for admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
Parents’ Absence Raises Concern
What stood out during the episode was not only the girl’s confidence in approaching the district administration but also the absence of her parents.
Kirtika was accompanied by a neighbourhood woman when she appeared before the DC on Wednesday. Her parents were also absent when she received the books and other educational materials on Thursday.
According to officials, Kirtika’s mother works as a domestic help in the locality, while her father is reportedly an alcoholic. Officials expressed concern over the apparent lack of parental support for the child’s education.
Despite her difficult circumstances, Kirtika herself spoke to the Deputy Commissioner and explained her problem without relying on the woman accompanying her.
Officials said the Class 5 student appeared confident and determined to continue her education.
DC Orders Monitoring of Her Educational Progress
Deputy Commissioner Shekhawat has directed the District Education Officer to keep track of Kirtika’s educational progress and ensure that she receives the support required to continue her studies.
The DC also said the district administration would soon launch a school audit programme aimed at identifying and addressing gaps and deficiencies in educational facilities.
“We would soon be launching a school audit programme where our efforts will be to plug the gaps or deficiencies as far as practicable,” Shekhawat said.
DEO Sandeep Kumar said the administration was also looking at ways to make government schools more conducive to learning.
“Every government school has its own identity. We will introduce mini-nurseries on the campus to create a more proactive environment for academic activities,” he said.
A Simple Request That Drew the Administration’s Attention
Kirtika’s appearance at the Jan Samadhan Programme was different from the usual petitions seeking government housing, ration cards, drinking water connections or other welfare benefits.
The Class 5 student came with a specific educational need — books and notebooks that had been damaged by rain.
Her confidence in approaching the district administration and the swift response from the officials turned a simple request for study materials into an initiative aimed at giving the child better educational opportunities.
