Class X student from UK teaches pupils of govt sponsored school in city

KOLKATA: A class X student from a London-based school presently having her summer, holidays is spending her time in Kolkata teaching students of a state government-sponsored school-based in Behala.

The 15-year-old girl, Aratrika Lahiri, who is in the 10th grade has grown up in London but her parents are Indians. Aratrika was extremely eager to teach conversational English to students, who are not so fluent in the language.

She spoke about her wish to her mother Arundhati Lahiri and the latter informed her school friend Sharmila Sengupta, who happens to be the headmistress of Barisha Janakalyan Vidyapith For Girls about her daughter's unique idea of utilising her summer holidays.

With Sengupta giving her consent, Aratrika reached out to her and a detailed discussion and preparation of modalities for teaching was prepared.

"I have started my teaching since mid July and I have found that the majority of the students have a keen interest in English. I have found out that they can read and many of them write well in English. But they lacked communication skills. After almost two weeks of classes, I am happy to see they are trying to speak in English and have been able to shed off their shyness of communicating in the language,"Aratrika said.

Aratrika has been teaching students from class V to IX and spends at least five hours everyday in the school.