Page 58 - Tehelka Issue 15 August 2018

environmental protection and conser-
vation, and examine the effects of global
warming. My Big Book of Girls is a book
that challenges gender stereotypes and
provokes with its galvanizing words
and illustrations. Lastly, My Big Book of
Dogs is all about our canine friends and
their presence that can foster our lives
with positivity.
Katha’s 300m Challenge campaign is ‘Katha hones the dren the space to be confident, creative,
aimed at making every child read. Tell critical thinkers.
us more about this campaign. legacy of multiple What if our children then went ahead
By the year 2030, India will have 590 literatures, the to create a nicer, more sustainable world
million people — nearly twice the cur- for themselves through reading, sup-
rent US population — living in its cities. wealth of people, ported learning, realizing the impor-
The youth segment of this population is goodwill to build tance of gender equality, global climate
expected to include 170 million work- change, sustainable consumption?
ers. These are the preschoolers of today. our capability. But It is serendipitous that we have 150
And yet this very important constituent it pains me to still million children who can read and 150
is practically overlooked in all our policy million who cannot. Each one teach one:
plans and pronouncements. So much so see children dying of what a simple elegant solution to a vex-
that in a 2016 UN report on world cities treatable diseases’ ing conundrum (There is a reason why I
and their outlook (UN World Cities Re- am often called an eternal optimist!).
port 2016: Urbanization and Develop- These goals are the motivation behind
ment — Emerging Futures), “children” or the 300 Million Challenge, developed by
“education” have not even a sub-section! our children. The elephant has been in us at Katha, the “profit for all” social or-
The best and brightest from more the room for a while and it’s time we ganization, with help from a group of
privileged backgrounds will choose acknowledged its presence. incredible and passionate partners —
to go abroad — despite Mr Trump. But So, I end with some questions and a spanning individuals, small to large non-
we seem to have no plan and no real request: profits as well as the corporate sector.
sense of urgency when it comes to those What if our children had books that We want to ensure that all 3 to
left behind. got them to think about compassion, 10-year-old children are reading well
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We, kindness and caring for all life forms, and for fun at an early age. School
the people, can make a difference. We including the many humans who have readiness is a critical factor for lifelong
can question governments and advocate no voice of their own? learning and sustainable education. We
on behalf of children. I’ve met hundreds What if schooling helps break ste- strongly believe that the government
of compassionate individuals in the reotypes and reiterate ideas of equity school system should be made more
course of my work who believe that “we and equality, while enabling children to robust. And that all children need eq-
do not inherit the earth from our ances- move away from the debilitating forces uitable quality; democratic education
tors; we borrow it from our children.” of mass media to a more gently critical for sustaining our democracy. And that
A situation in which 50 per cent of culture? Let’s make testing more rigor- when children understand they can
three hundred million children in school ous, but let’s ensure that passing/failing bring sustainable change to themselves,
can’t read, needs action. Now! And the is a combined responsibility of children, they begin to understand the emotional
call is more urgent when we know that parents and teachers. and the economic purpose of education,
150 million of those children are 5 to 10 What if educators were thought lead- leading to sustainable lifelong learning.
years olds. ers who fill curricula and classrooms Disruptive and collaborative inno-
“If you want your children to be intel- with imagination — fiction, nonfiction vation in primary education is possible
ligent, read them fairy tales. If you want and poetry that originated in India, from only when we all join hands when we
them to be more intelligent, read them our different bhashas, in translation into together make children’s sustainable
more fairy tales,” said Albert Einstein. “All all school languages, so helping children learning happen! Let’s make it everyone’s
religions, arts and sciences are branches culture link, understand where they business and our collective mission — to
of the same tree.” come from, who they are — stories that be a country where every child counts.
That “tree” is Imagination and it is will encourage them to delve into the
something we need to nurture for ALL depths of life’s predicaments, giving chil- letters@tehelka.com

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