International Literacy Day| Rajshri Deshpande: Education is an important foundation which is missing from the villages FilmyMeet

Actor Rajshri Deshpande, who has built four schools in rural areas in the past four years and has been working for the wellness of rural villages for more than ten years now, talks to us on International Literacy Day. “I work for rural villages and neglected areas. Education, groundwater, healthcare, and many other important things are neglected in such places,” she tells us, adding, “When I work in a village, I feel like I should give them basic necessities. I have helped four villages with these facilities till now. The first school I built was eco-sensitive.”

The 41-year-old adds that education is the most “important foundation” which has been missing from the villages. “They (kids in villages) think that ‘What will we do after education?’ and ‘Naukri kahan milegi?’ They don’t understand education is not just about getting a job but to be aware about everything,” she highlights.

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The actor feels that most of the government schools are in a “dilapidated” condition, which makes it even more difficult for children to go there to study. “They have government schools but they are in such bad condition, no kid wants to go there. The kids think that they once just had to go to the school till tenth class and then do nothing about it, it’s of no use. They need to understand what the exact importance of literacy is. The whole structure should be revised carefully,” Deshpande laments.

For her school, the importance of subjects is divided equally, be it sports or academics. “Along with other mainstream academics, I also encourage sports, Marathi language, art and other subjects, to make them study and do something. I recently appointed a teacher from my hometown Aurangabad to go and teach Judo there. The schools should have more departments and be more friendly. Development doesn’t mean building four walls or teaching English. You have to make the kids aware of every part of literacy along with learning different languages and extracurricular activities as well,” says firmly.

Ask the actor if being a public figure can be used as an advantage to raise awareness regarding literacy and she remarks, “Social media helps in raising awareness, but for me what’s more important is the on ground work. As a public figure, I can make people aware about literacy, but it is important to work with parents and children on the ground to explain and convince about the significance of studying.”