Toronto Diary: The School Reopens   

There is a current of excitement. The school reopens after the long vacation of two months. The parents are excited; even the children who are, generally speaking, not excited if they are to go the disciplined prison house of the school, are bubbling with excitement of going to school and meeting their classmates. The excitement of going to a higher class, sitting in a new room, and having a new class teacher. A new school bag, a new water bottle, may be a few new trousers and shirts. On the whole, there is an electric current in the whole family. The child is going to school. 

Viplav's school reopens today. The child, his mother informs, had a disturbed sleep and woke up two- three times. He promised last evening that he would be "the goodest child",and would reach the school in time. Like all children of his age-- he is just seven and a half -- he is reluctant to get up in the morning and sulks at the name of getting ready for the school. But today  he was bouncing with joy.         

So he jumped into the car at the first call.But even before him, Dylan, our bulky but very friendly pet dog, rushed into the car and occupied his space. I also volunteered to go to the school with him. We started a little early as Anshul felt that all the parents would be there to drop their wards on the first day as new teachers and rooms would be allotted and they would like to feel reassured that the transition was smooth. She knew that with the limited parking space, we might land in a difficult spot. This starting ten minutes early conveniently got us an easy parking spot.

It is interesting to note that there are no rickshaws or three wheelers, not even two wheelers here to ferry the kids. In fact, maintaining a two wheelchair is  a very costlier, even riskier affair here than maintaining a car. So forget finding a parent dropping his wards on a Hero Honda or an Activa here.

Leaving Dylan in the car, we entered the school through gate No 4 to find ourselves in a crowd of freshly washed, sun- lit faces of a  hundred kids. And there was an equal number of parents, young and expectant. I noted that there were more mothers than fathers. Of course, it doesn't mean that all fathers were conspicuously absent: there were a few doting daddies too. And a few grandfathers like me dotted the scene too!

What struck me was the fact that it was a mixed crowd. The brown, the black and and whites freely mixed. There were parents from different countries. There were Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Philipinos, Africans, and, of course native Canadians. A tossed salad, I would say. There was a black gentleman, in all white, with a golden embroidered cap and a broad golden bracelet. Otherwise, most of them were in T-shirts and informal shorts or trousers.            

There was a variety of hair colours: black, brown and golden. Many brunettes and blondes could be seen holding the hand of their tiny tots. A faint fragrance- perhaps, a co-mingling of many varieties of scents, wafted lightly in the air infusing a pleasing light headedness! The pleasant sunshine with a nip of cold in the air created a sense of lightness  of  spirit.

The children were talking animatedly. Some were old friends from the previous class; some new friends were to be made. Parents fondly oversaw their kids intermingling with their friends. Now a bell rang. Teachers allocated to each class called out their wards and the students queued up in a the line allocated to their class. It was about nine a.m. and the  little scholars slowly entered  the school slowly under the hawk eyes of their respective teachers.         

Parents, now relaxed, started moving to the exit. Some of them were old acquaintances and paused to  exchange pleasantries, while some went in a matter- of- fact manner to their respective cars and kicked off .               

The Canadian system of education is entirely different from our own. The government schools are well- maintained; the facilities which our best public schools can boast of are ordinarily available with all such schools. There is emphasis on observational and experiential and not the cramming method. Education is free; school  bags are very light and there is hardly any home work. Interesting it is to note that at the primary level, there are three recesses: two short recesses for snacks, one long recess for lunch. Like our mid- day meal scheme , nutritious meals are provided to the pupils.Then, there is a long games period. Whatever little time remains is devoted to studies, computers, arts and crafts.             

I keep on contrasting our system of education with the Canadian. I realise that system here is very informal, very friendly, and definitely not intimidating.No formal dress for students. Totally informal. Informal to the extent that I find many teachers wearing shorts. They may, if they prefer, wear ponytails or beards. Not at all officious, they seem to teach in a playful manner. On the whole,this visit to the school and seeing  so many cute and frolicsome kids on  this pleasant morning is nothing but a sunny and happy occasion to  warm and delight my heart. 

I wonder if our  schools could borrow a page or two from this system and create a less burdensome, and less intimidating environment for the young leaners enabling them to sip the pristine bliss of their childhood in big and bountiful gulps.