MY VISIT TO ASHRAM SCHOOL

 The word Ashram refers to the hermitage. When my teacher from the Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar instructed that I should be going to visit Ashram School to interact with the teachers and the students there I couldn't visualize the exact picture of it. And when I finally visited it I came in terms of the functioning of the school. There are several of these schools at different locations of the state. These schools have students from the remote districts of Odisha and are for the tribal students. Odisha is home to many tribes many of which also belong to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The students I met at Ashram School belong to several of these tribes like Munda, Santhal, etc from districts like Malkangiri. When I listen to the tune of Sambalpuri dance I cannot wait. To welcome us amidst them many of the students danced to the beat of Sambalpuri Dance. Both Sambalpiuri dance and Sambalpuri sarees are famous. The  Saree is famous for its intricate design and beautiful motifs. When I interacted with the headmaster I got to understand the functioning of the school. During my visits to several schools in my profession as a teacher educator on numerous occasions, I have got to interact with administrators and officials, Headmaster, and teachers. Often have I seen the dilapidated condition of residential schools with improper infrastructure and lack of appropriate facilities. But in Ashram School the picture was very different. The teachers were very friendly and cooperated with us in exploring the school. The students seemed to excel not only in academics but also in extracurricular activities. The students of the school come from diverse cultures many of whom are home to the indigenous knowledge systems passed through oral tradition. These Ashram Schools in the state of Odisha can definitely provide a platform to help these students to exhibit their local handicrafts and hone their skills better by making it a part of the curriculum. This can work in the direction of making Atmanirvar Bharat or Self Reliant India as is the vision of Prime Minister of India a reality.