Kharikadanga Primary School

Kharikadanga Primary School is situated at 120/6, N Deb Banerjee Road. It’s right in the heart of Tiljala, which is a very busy part of the city. Our building is an older structure, and you can see that from the way the stairs are worn down from years of footsteps. We have children from the local neighborhood coming in every day for their basic education. The classrooms are simple with wooden benches that have seen many years of use. We have a small office where we keep all the records in old registers and files. It gets a bit cramped when all the kids are in at once, but we make it work. The street outside is narrow, so it’s always a bit of a squeeze when parents come to drop off the kids in the morning. We provide the mid-day meals like other primary schools, and that is usually the busiest time of the day. You can smell the food cooking from the small kitchen area near the back. We don't have a lot of modern technology here, mostly just chalk and talk. The teachers are locals who understand the struggles of the families around here. Sometimes we have to deal with leaky roofs during the monsoon, but we put out buckets and carry on with the lessons. It’s just a humble place for learning in Kolkata. We don't make big promises, we just show up and teach the kids their lessons every weekday morning until the afternoon bell rings.