Amid COVID-19, a classroom for 250 poor students comes alive under Mayur Vihar flyover
Apr 14, 2021
By Aashique Hussain
New Delhi [India], April 14 : In order to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the education of poor children mostly from slum areas, a BSc graduate -- Satyender -- has started a free of cost teaching facility under the Mayur Vihar phase 1 flyover.
Around 250 students are taught at the location where like-minded people like Deepak and Kamlesh have also joined Satyender to provide education to underprivileged kids.
Young students take their classes sitting on mats laid on the ground while older children have the luxury of benches and desks. 
"As lockdown came into effect, online classes started and these children from slums did not have any mobile phones for studies. We teach students from KG to Class 10. The school is functional from 8 am to 2 pm," says Satyender.
Kamlesh says," I have been teaching underprivileged kids for the past two years. Satyendarji supported me to teach them here. I teach Hindi, English and Maths from 10 am to 1 am. The kids who could not go to schools due to the pandemic are coming here."
Deepak, another teacher at the facility, who is doing an MA in Hindi literature says," I was informed by a friend that these students are losing their classes due to COVID-19 lockdown and I came to teach here. When online classes started, some students lost classes as they do not have mobile phones. So I thought I will guide these kids and the response from their end was very good. "
"250 students from KG to class 10 students are studying here. The school starts at 8 am and ends at 2 pm.
"People are in support of the initiative. Parents of many kids are literate and they value education. DDA tried to create problems when we wanted to create a shelter, when it rains the classes have to be stopped but they did not create much of an issue," he adds.
Vineetha, a student of class 9, says, "We are taught English, Maths, and Science and the classes are very good." Her classmate Guddu remarks, "I have been studying here for the past three months. I am not able to pick up English but I understand very well when classes are done in Hindi."
