Going to School in the Slum

School girls in Dharavi

Some people assume that slums have no amenities like schools, medical care, or restaurants.  However, as Robert Neuwirth explained is his TED-talk, these things are found in many slums just like in any city. Contrary to the mainstream image of slums, kids do go to school in Dharavi. In the Indian education system schools teach in Hindi, English or a local language like Marathi. This language of communication is advertised by the school as for example ‘English Medium’. Besides these varities, one also finds municipal schools and private schools. All together, a kid’s life in Dharavi is perhaps not so very different from the lives of other kids. They dress up in the morning to go to school, they are told to behave in the classroom (which sometimes they don’t) and simply have too much energy to be able to keep quiet.

school boys in a rare moment of not bouncing around

A private classroom the size of an average slum dwelling

 

Dharavi municpal school near Mahatma Gandhi Road ...

... where the kids prove to be very ordinary kids :-)