Normal classes for students have been being called off because of the ongoing Pandemic caused by COVID19 across the country. In such a situation, Boi Toi Hoi Choi an innovative initiative is launched by Chandrasekhar Kundu, popularly known as Foodman, also a teacher from Asansol who teaches 400 poor students free of cost classes “Boi Toi Hoi Choi”, where mainly the school dropouts were given more attention.
The initiative has been initiated under the banner of Food Education and Economic Development or FEED and is the teamwork of five friends namely Chandrasekhar Kundu, Dr Apurba Chatterjee, Amitava Chakraborty, Abhijit Debnath, and Dr Atanu Bhadra.
During the past one month, 10 additional coaching classes through Boi Toi Hoi Choi has been conducted in various parts of Asansol, Purulia, Sundarban, Kultoli, Mousuni Island on the requests of numerous local clubs and organisations across West Bengal. Educational needs of around 1200 students are met in this 16 coaching classes.
Boi Toi Hoi Choi was designed as an aid to the school dropouts and has been in action since the last 4 years with 6 schools and now 11 more have been added. Shanti Hasda, from Asansol says “Boi Toi Hoi Choi is providing employment opportunities to the unemployed youth like us. Serving the local children is of great encouragement to us.“
Speaking to News Sense Chandrashekhar says that, “financially weak villages had more school dropouts. The government schools in these villages accommodate students from all economic backgrounds but fail to provide tuitions to the financially weak. These students from the lower socio economic backgrounds could not afford private tutoring. Hence, they lagged behind as compared to others, slowly losing their interest and eventually leaving the studies“. He further adds, “Keeping physical distance and other mandatory guidelines, the localities are carrying out the coaching classes. Unemployed but well educated youth are appointed as teachers in such class rooms.“
Kundu and his team have teamed up with a non-profit organisation and wants expand this initiative across the country. Their aim is to help students gain the gift of knowledge and secure a bright and promising future for themselves.
