Arunoday Sarvajanik Vidhyalay

Up here in Kaprada, things are a bit different than the big cities in Valsad. The school sits where it’s a bit quieter and the air feels different. Most of our students come from the surrounding areas, and some have a long walk to get here every morning. The classrooms are basic. We’ve got the chalkboards and the rows of heavy benches. It’s a public school, so we deal with whatever comes our way. The weather out here can be a bit rough, especially when it rains hard in the hills, but the kids still show up. We have a decent sized area for them to run around during the breaks. The staff room is small and always smells a bit like tea and old paper. We spend our days going through the subjects and trying to keep the kids interested in their studies. There’s no big sign or flashing lights outside. It’s just the name on the wall. We don’t have a lot of extra resources, so we make do with what’s available. Sometimes the electricity goes out and we just carry on with the windows open for light. It’s a simple life here. The focus is always on the next exam or the next lesson. People know us in the village and that’s how it’s been for years. It’s a solid place for the kids in this part of Valsad to spend their days and learn something useful.