Where there is a wall, there is a way

In a tribal village near Asansol, 'Raster Master' Deepnarayan Nayak started an outdoor school in 2014. He transformed mud walls into classrooms with blackboards, aiming to educate marginalised children. His 3G model involved three generations, fostering a sense of community and shared knowledge.

Beyond traditional education, he integrated technology, nutrition, and native languages into the curriculum, addressing holistic development. 

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust Nayak's work into the spotlight, and he expanded his projects to other villages while maintaining social distancing protocols. Today, his model thrives, with nearly 50 centers, 150 teachers, and 10,000 students benefitting. Deepnarayan Nayak's vision offers hope in underprivileged communities, providing education and a brighter future. His model, if replicated, could pave the way for a brighter future, ensuring every child's right to education is realised, even in the most challenging circumstances.

India's free and mandatory elementary education system serves 131 million students but the schools fall short of the required standard in many localities. The children are often neglected by the teachers who are overworked and understaffed. The crumbling infrastructure in rural schools often skips on toilets and other amenities which contributes to a significant amount of female learner dropout rates. The situation often worsens tenfold in tribal and underdeveloped areas where proper awareness from parents is missing from the equation and dropout rates are sky-high. According to the UNESCO Gem Report 2023, half a billion underprivileged students could not access digital classrooms during the COVID-19 months. Nayak hopes his model, when replicated properly, significantly alters the situation and ensures every child gets a chance at education.  

Sudip Maiti is a Kolkata-based independent photographer and filmmaker.

Edited by: Novita Singh

Read more about Global Teacher Prize 2023 Top 10 Finalist, Deep Narayan Nayak here

Read Village Square article by Sudip Maiti here 

Learn more about Deep Narayan Nayak on Village Square Instagram