Students turn teachers for migrants’ children on university campus lawns

for senior students of Chandigarh’s government schools from April 21, the construction workers’ children had no access to internet, and thus, no school.

Besides Choudhury, Shubham Singh, Narendra Singh, Jaskirat Kaur Saini, Noyonika Roy and Kavneet Singh have been teaching the students in different parts of the campus, spread across sectors 14 and 25. Initially, the classes were for a couple of hours in the morning; now they hold four-hour long classes, from 8am to noon.

“I had never thought that I could teach anyone but now my self-perception has changed,” said Choudhury, who taught who taught English and Hindi.

The shade of an expansive banyan tree and empty cement bags make up for the absence of classrooms and chairs. All children have handkerchiefs tied over their faces.

“At this time no one will allow us to use a classroom,” said

Choudhary, who favours the trees outside the legal studies institute in the main campus.

“In the morning their parents wait for us to come and then leave for work. Even you cannot be late for class, otherwise the children demand an apology,” Shubham Singh, 24, said.

The social work students are also trying to teach the youngsters about Covid-19; the children have a host of queries about the pandemic that has affected millions worldwide, starting with what the virus looks likeand why do they need to wash their hands repeatedly. Gaur, an assistant professor at the centre for social work, said that volunteer work is exactly what the course is about.

“I hope they will bring a change in the future of all these children.”