At the Islampur Middle School, the children are towards the end of their school day. The teachers under the tree outside sing rhymes alongside the children. Mr Thakur, the assistant teacher, shows us the computer room which has three computers -- introduced six months ago -- which he says is used by the children to paint and learn the use of wordpad.
He also shows us the ongoing construction of classrooms so that the children sitting outside finally have a classroom. The state government is recruiting 200,000 primary and elementary teachers and constructing 100,000 classrooms this year. Last year, 70,000 teachers were appointed.
I am not sure how much three computers help in a school with over 1,000 students. Neither can one vouch for the quality of education. But the classrooms are full at this school, the teachers are teaching, the students are neatly dressed even if they don't have uniforms and bear the familiarity of their curriculum at the end of their school year.
Also, the children we meet all sound confident.
"Yes, education has deteriorated in Bihar over the years. There was a time when the syllabus of Patna University was almost like Oxford. But you may be surprised, two-three recent surveys done at the all India level have shown that the quality of primary education is good in Bihar. We are not saying it, they are," says Anjani Kumar Singh.
In the heartland of India's most illiterate state, a difference is being made. Better still, it can be felt.
Advertisement
