Read and right

Although i’ve been pro-Poor all my life, i am not really a victim of poverty. My parents were. I didn’t grow up in an affluent setting, yes, but my parents ensured that my brother and i were taken care of. My dad worked 12+ hours a day while ma earned her bit from sewing. Their single-minded dedication towards getting us education from a kischan school made all the difference. And for that — among other things — i’ll always remain grateful. I didn’t pay them back by teaching them English even though they often expressed interest. I was way too shy to even correct their incorrect pronunciations. Now, when i look back, i wonder if it’s even possible to repay someone who made you realize how promising life can be. I know the answer to that but still, every once in a while, i prefer visiting my past to dig deeper. Like, what were the factors that stopped my parents from sending us to a Marathi-medium school or a BMC school? They could have taken the easy way out. After all, they were in no position to pay higher school fees. But they did what they thought was best for their children. How many parents manage to pull off such gambles? I’m quite sure it’s an uphill task because i don’t really see a lot of young students nowadays who appreciate the efforts their parents put in. Time is changing, no doubt, but it’d be nicer to see more parents betting on their kids’ future than their present. The power to learn isn’t to be taken for granted. The fabled University of Life might have helped our case in the 19th century. Not anymore. Last century, Pink Floyd tried to fool us by going to school themselves and preaching that we don’t need no education. Not happening in the 21st century.