ସମଦୃଷ୍ଟି ମୁକ୍ତ ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ

The Backdrop

The Samadrusti Mukta Vidyalaya has been conceptualized to ensure good quality education to all people in the productive age group who have been deprived of education in the state-run system or have found no meaning even after completing the so-called education and also those who can’t afford an education at the present price in the non-state sector. The purpose is to enable the learner to take up responsibilities of social transformation first by ensuring a better economic base for a collective of which he will be an indispensable member. The purpose here is not to suggest that a sustainable economic base could be fully ensured without a complete transformation of the society.

It will have its students from villages who are willing to acquire skills and capabilities to run an economy in which they will collectively operate independently of corporate influence.

Odisha has been called a poor state even from the pre-independence era. Odisha’s poverty has evoked peculiar responses from the rulers and the ruling elites every time depending on the nature of economic forces influencing these sections. They mostly believe if the forests, land, and water of Odisha are made open for exploitation by profit-making companies, they will reduce poverty. To put more glamour in to the process of exploitation of natural resources, the invaders have been given the status of alleviators of poverty. People in Odisha have been made to believe this untruth by the people who have been benefiting the most from it.

Who are the people of Odisha? Where are they? Are they in a position to benefit from anything out of the present processes of rapid industrialization? What will happen to their future?

Yes, they are the majority in Odisha. They include the peasants, the agricultural labour force, the forest-dependent tribal, the destitute Dalits, the craftsmen, the fisher folk, the weavers, the artisan class, etc who constitute more than 3/4th of the state’s population. What surrounds them is a wealth of natural resources. If you define these natural resources as minerals, they will be finished forever within a few decades. These people will benefit nothing from it. Rather they will lose something so precious for all time to come. Yes, the small minority of people advocating for their ruthless exploitation will definitely build their fortunes and they will also arouse such expectations among people having similar dreams.

But if you define these natural resources as good land, good forest, good bio-diversity, rich water resources and good habitats, they have future which will never end. Any economy in order to be sustainable and relevant for a vast majority must develop making these resources as its main base. It has the potential to reduce or eliminate poverty but certainly it may not be able to provide everybody a palace, a luxury car or a swimming pool. It may not benefit the rich, the new rich or the ones aspiring to be rich at the cost of the majority people.

The state, the multinational companies, the NGOs, the media, the academia and those who are providing them a support base don’t want the second model to succeed ( we are aware of exceptions in all these categories). They are the people who design the education curriculum-both in the state run sector as well as in the private sector. Therefore, it would be absolutely foolish to expect them make education a process of empowering the peasants, the agricultural labour force, the forest-dependent tribals, the destitute dalits, the craftsmen, the fisher folk, the weavers, the artisan class, etc.

Is There Any Alternative?

The most obvious question is what is the alternative?

Yes, there are alternatives. You may not know them. The truth is that this class of the vast majority of losers and potential losers must learn themselves. They must acquire skills and capabilities by themselves. They must ensure that they now and their generations to come in the future at least get something to eat and live in peace.

The Samadrusti Mukta Vidyalaya is a school without a wall. It has been conceptualized to empower such sections of the society who will deconstruct an unjust society and rebuild a new and just one.

Who Are the Students?

One can apply for a certificate course if he or she has got the following essential qualifications:

  1. Ability to read and understand newspapers and magazines published in the local language
  2. Ability to write an essay on the problems faced by the community/locality which he or she belongs to
  • Must be having a secular mind and willingness to respect anyone having faith in any religion
  1. Must be having a spirit within to respect all human equally and the victims of social and economic injustice more equally
  2. Must be serious about learning and making use of the learning together with other co-learners
  3. Must be having a mind to learn and earn as a part of a group or collective without having to be a slave or a servant anywhere

How Much One Pays For the Course?

The students are not expected to pay anything to the school. The school will also not spend anything on any student. The students will only pay for the study materials required for their studies. The School would ensure that the study materials for a student including postal expenses do not exceed Rs 1000. The practical work has to be undertaken by the students at their own expense. The School will also ensure that every student selects an area that will be benefiting him/her without making learning a financial burden for the student. Since the objective is to empower the students and not to exploit them, those students will find learning from the School the least expensive one. The cost of learning will come to Rs 120 per month.

What are the learning facilities?

We will advise all students to follow Samadrusti.in online, www.odiabibhaba.in (a digital library for enhancing their knowledge), Samadrusti Mukta Vidyalaya YouTube channel, Madhyantar Video Magazine, Natabar Sadangi Page in The Samadrusti.com

Evaluation and Award of Diploma

The School will have a scientific and student-friendly evaluation process. The objective is to assess how much the student has learnt and how much more he or she requires to learn.

On completion of a course, a student will be offered Diplomas in their respective courses at an annual convocation to be attended by persons with wisdom in the subjects offered in the School.

The School will help the students from the beginning itself to find out possible areas of self and collective employment.

Who Will Teach?

None! The School will draw faculties from distinguished practitioners and academicians in the subjects who are willing to share their learning and expertise voluntarily and would not charge any fee from the school or the students. The School will be having a wider group of learning facilitators with a progressive background and thorough understanding of the subject and issues. They would include people from both the cities and the rural areas. We have started preparing teaching learning materials with the active participation and contribution of some of them. This group is expanding.

The Process of Learning

The process of learning for each course will have the following stages/levels:

  1. School to Home Direct – in which the study materials will be delivered directly at the home of the students/learners along with study instructions. The students and learners will also send their assignments directly to the school.
  2. Regional/Local Study Centers– in which occasional classes and doubt-clearing sessions will take place at the local level or at the regional level depending on the availability of volunteer resource persons
  3. Centralized Classes at School Level– in which the students and learners will come down occasionally at their own cost and attend a few special classes
  4. Home Library and Rural Library- The School will help each learner to build up a library at his/her home. The learners will also be encouraged to form a collective and start a community library. The library will have books, magazines and also CDs.
  5. Learner’s Friend- The School with the support of the learners will also find and form a group of friends who are willing to give time to the learners and help them in the learning process.

How to Prepare Study Materials?

The School will conduct special brain storming sessions and evening workshops to prepare study materials for the students. Most of the people involved in teaching learning are expected to be otherwise engaged, therefore, their available free and voluntary time would provide the main base for material preparation. We too don’t have the resources to conduct workshops for the purpose in different places. The following methods will be followed while preparing study materials for the school.

  1. Faculty in charge of a course will prepare outlines of the syllabus in consultation with other members of the group.
  2. The Course Coordinator will collect study materials and give them to the faculty in charge of the preparation of the draft
  3. The draft will be sent for suggestions and inputs from the faculties available on each subject in the rural areas
  4. The draft will be revised and presented in a brain storming session at the School level which will have people-centric volunteer experts
  5. The final study material will be prepared in a series of evening workshops and shall be given for experimental learning at a few regional study centers
  6. The Study materials will be printed in book or booklet form in a phased manner so as to reduce further the cost of learning which is possible if the learners constitute a significant number
  7. Periodic Evaluation of Study Materials and Revision will continue through out the year

Board of Studies

The Board of Studies of the School would consist of eminent persons in the subjects we have identified for the purpose of imparting education. For us, an eminent person in the subject would mean those persons who have considerable working experience in the subject- the real doers and the ones who haven’t got an opportunity to be in the field but constantly thinking about the doers, their work, their problems and willing to contribute their might towards their resolution.

The list includes practitioners from villages as well as visionaries who may not be doing anything practically at home. They will be drawn from across the state and in certain cases from outside the state.

The BOS will give shape to the courses run by the school.

Registration for Courses:

Anyone who is serious about the course should do the following:

  1. Write to us in the comment box on the Samadrusti Mukta Vidyalaya page on our website.
  2. A form is given in the comment box. Fill out the form and wait for further instructions.
  3. Follow our website regularly for further updates
  • Every applicant has to write an essay and send us through a message box in Odia /English on any topic concerning the life and livelihood of people living in his or her area.
  • The applicants should write the essay himself/herself since they will be asked questions based on their own essays.

ଦିନେ ବାପା-ମା’ମାନେ କହୁଥିଲେ ପିଲାଟି ଆମର ପାଠ ପଢ଼ିବ, ମଣିଷ ହେବ । ଅର୍ଥାତ, ପାଠପଢ଼ିବା ଓ ମଣିଷ ହେବା ଏକା ପ୍ରକାର ଅର୍ଥକୁ ବଝାଉଥିଲା । କିନ୍ତୁ ଏବେ ପାଠ ପଢ଼ିବା କହିଲେ, ଅନ୍ତତଃ ମଣିଷ ହେବା କଥାଟିକୁ ବୁଝାଉ ନାହିଁ । ପାଠ ପଢ଼ିବାର ଅର୍ଥ ପେଶାଦାର ହେବା ବା ବଜାରରେ ଚାହିଦା ଥିବା ଏକ ପେଶା ପାଇଁ ନିଜକୁ ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ କରି ତାଲିମପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରାଇବା ଏଭଳି ଏକ କଥାକୁ ବୁଝାଉଛି । ବଜାର ଉପଯୋଗୀ ପେଶାଦାର ହେବା ଏବଂ ମଣିଷ ହେବା ଏକାକଥା ନୁହେଁ । ମଣିଷ ହେବାର ଅର୍ଥ ଅତି ବ୍ୟାପକ । ନିଜେ ଜଣେ ମଣିଷ ହୋଇପାରିବ ଯଦି କେବଳ ନିଜ ଅତି ନିକଟତର ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ତାର ଚାରିପଟେ ଥିବା ଅନ୍ୟ ସବୁ ମଣିଷମାନଙ୍କୁ ସେ ଚିହ୍ନି ପାରିବ । ସେମାନେ ଯଦି ସମସ୍ତେ ମଣିଷ – ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଭିତରେ ନାରୀ-ପୁରୁଷ, ଜାତି-ଧର୍ମ, ଶୋଷକ-ଶୋଷିତ, ଧନୀ-ଦରିଦ୍ର ଏଭଳି ବିଭେଦର ବିଭିଧତା ଆଣିଲା କିଏ ଓ କାହିଁକି? ଏସବୁ କଥା ଭଲଭାବରେ ନବୁଝି ସବୁ ମଣିଷକୁ ସମାନ କରିବାର ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ ଦେଖିହେବ କି? ଅର୍ଥାତ ମଣିଷ ହେବାକୁ ହେଲେ ମଣିଷକୁ ବୁଝି ତା’ର ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ସୁଧାରିବା ପାଇଁ ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଉଦ୍ୟମ କରିବାକୁ ପଡ଼ିବ ।

ଏହି ଜୀବମଣ୍ଡଳରେ ମଣିଷ କେବଳ ଏକମାତ୍ର ବାସିନ୍ଦା ନୁହେଁ । ଅନେକ ଜୀବନ ଭିତରେ ମଣିଷ ଗୋଟିଏ ଜୀବନ । ଅନେକ ପ୍ରାଣୀ, ବୃକ୍ଷ-ଲତା-ଜଙ୍ଗଲ, ଝରଣା-ନଦୀ ଓ ସାଗର ଏସବୁର ଉପସ୍ଥିତି ମଣିଷର ଜୀବନକୁ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ କରି ରଖିଆସିଛି ।

ମଣିଷ-ମଣିଷ ଭିତରର ସମ୍ପର୍କ, ମଣିଷ ଚାରିପଟେ ଥିବା ଜୀବସତ୍ତା ସହ ମଣିଷର ସମ୍ପର୍କ, ମଣିଷ ସହ ସବୁ ପ୍ରାକୃତିକ ସଂଶାଧନର ସମ୍ପର୍କ, ଏସବୁକୁ ନିଜ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣରେ ରଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଚାଲିଥିବା କେତେକ ଶକ୍ତିବାନ ମଣିଷଙ୍କ ଉଦ୍ୟମ ଓ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ସାଧାରଣ ମଣିଷର ସଂଘର୍ଷ ଇତ୍ୟାଦିକୁ ଭଲକରି ବୁଝିବା ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟାକୁ ‘ପାଠ’ ବା ‘ଶିକ୍ଷା’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଇପାରେ । ଶିକ୍ଷାର ଅର୍ଥ ନୁହେଁ ସମସାମୟିକ ବଜାରର ଚାହିଦାକୁ ଆଖି ଆଗରେ ରଖି କିଛି ପେଶାଦାର ଯନ୍ତ୍ରବତ୍ ମଣିଷ ତିଆରି କରିବା ଯାହାର ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ହେବ କେବଳ କିଛି ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ଦକ୍ଷତା ହାସଲ କରିଥିବା ଯନ୍ତ୍ରୀ, ଡାକ୍ତର, ମ୍ୟାନେଜର ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ଗୋଟିଏ ଗୋଟିଏ ବର୍ଗ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିବା । ଆଜିର ‘ଶିକ୍ଷା’କୁ ସମୀକ୍ଷା କଲେ, ଆମେ କେତେ ମଣିଷ ବା ଅମଣିଷ ହେବାକୁ ଯାଉଛେ କଥାଟି ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇଯିବ ।

ତେବେ ଆମ ଶିକ୍ଷା ଆମକୁ ଅମଣିଷର ରାସ୍ତାକୁ ନେଇ ଆସିଛି ଅଭିଯୋଗଟିଏ କରି ଚୁପ୍‌ଚାପ ବସିଯିବାର ଅଭିପ୍ରାୟ ଆମର ନାହିଁ । ମଣିଷକୁ ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନର ‘ଶିକ୍ଷା’ ଓ ‘ଶୋଷଣ’ର ମାୟାଜାଲରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରି, ଏକ ନୂଆ ଦିଗନ୍ତ ଆଡ଼କୁ ଟାଣିନେବା ପାଇଁ କିଛି ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଏବଂ ବିନମ୍ର ଉଦ୍ୟମ ହେବା ଉଚିତ ବୋଲି ଆମେ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରୁ । ପ୍ରାୟତଃ ସବୁ ଶିକ୍ଷା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ପିଲାଟିକୁ ତା ପରିବାର ଓ ପରିବେଶରୁ ଅଲଗା କରି ଏକ କୃତ୍ରିମ ପରିବେଶକୁ ନେଇ ଆସିଥାଏ । ଯାହାକୁ ଆମେ ସ୍କୁଲ କହୁ । ଯଦି ଗରିବ ପିଲାଟିଏ କେବେ ପଢ଼ିବା ପାଇଁ ସାହସ ସଂଚୟ କରେ ତା’ପାଇଁ ବି ଚାରିକାନ୍ଥର ସ୍କୁଲ । କାନ୍ଥଟି କେତେ ଦୁର୍ବଳ ବା କେତେ ସୁନ୍ଦର ସେକଥା ଏଠି ପଡ଼ିନାହିଁ । ମୂଳ କଥା ହେଉଛି, ପରିବାର ଓ ପରିବେଶରୁ ପିଲାଟିକୁ ଅଲଗା କରି ତାକୁ ନୂଆକରି ଗଢ଼ି ତୋଳିବାର ପ୍ରୟାସ କରିବା । ଯାହାର ପରିବାର ପାଇଁ ପିଲାଟିର ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ ସବୁକିଛି, ସେ ନିଜଠାରୁ, ନିଜ ପରିବାର ଠାରୁ, ନିଜ ଗାଁ ଠାରୁ ନିଜ ପ୍ରାକୃତିକ ପରିବେଶ ଓ ଜୀବଜଗତ ଠାରୁ ଅଲଗା ହୋଇ, ଅନ୍ୟ କାହାପାଇଁ ନିଜକୁ ଉପଯୋଗୀ କରିବାର ପ୍ରତିଯୋଗୀତାରେ ଉତ୍ତୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହେବାର ଅନୁଭବ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣାଦାୟକ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ । ଅନ୍ୟ କାହାପାଇଁ ଉପଯୋଗୀ ନହୋଇପାରିଲେ ଆମେ ତାକୁ ଅସଫଳର ଆଖ୍ୟା ଦେବା । ୧୦/୧୫ବର୍ଷର ‘ଶିକ୍ଷାଦାନ’ ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟାଟି ତାକୁ ନିଜ ଲୋକ, ବିଲମାଳ, ଡଙ୍ଗର-ଜଙ୍ଗଲ, ନଦୀ-ଝରଣା, ପାନବରଜ, ମାଛ ବେଉସା, ହସ୍ତଶିଳ୍ପ-କାରିଗରୀ କାମ ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ଅନେକଟି କଥାରୁ ନିଜକୁ ଏତେ ଦୂରେଇ ନେଇଯାଇଥାଏ ଯେ, ପୁଣିଥରେ ଏମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଯୋଡ଼ିହେବା ବା ଏମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉପଯୋଗୀ ହେବାର ମାନସିକତା ସେ ହରାଇବସିଥାଏ ।

ଏଭଳି ଏକ ଭୟଙ୍କର ପରିସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ଆମେ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱର ସହ ସମୀକ୍ଷା କରୁନାହିଁ ଏହା ଆଜିର ସମୟର ସବୁଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ବିଡ଼ମ୍ବନାର କଥା । ବଜାର ଆମପାଇଁ ଯେଉଁପ୍ରକାର ପ୍ରଲୋଭନ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରି ଚାଲିଛି ଆମ ମାନସିକତା ସେଥିରେ ଅଧିକ ଦୁର୍ବଳ ହୋଇଚାଲିଛି । ଆମେ ନିଜର ପ୍ରତିଛବି ଛଡ଼ା ଅନ୍ୟ କିଛି ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଆଜି ଆଦୌ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ନୁହଁନ୍ତି ।

କିନ୍ତୁ ଏଭଳି ଏକ ପରିସ୍ଥିତିରୁ ଆମକୁ ବାହାରିବାକୁ ପଡ଼ିବ । ଦିନକୁ ଦିନ ବିପର୍ଯ୍ୟସ୍ତ ହେବାକୁ ଯାଉଥିବା ଶିକ୍ଷା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଓ ବିଧ୍ୱଂସ୍ତ ହେବାକୁ ଯାଉଥିବା ମଣିଷ ସମାଜର ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଆମକୁ ଏକ ନୂଆ ଶିକ୍ଷା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଓ ସମାଜ ନିର୍ମାଣର ଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ହାତକୁ ନେବାକୁ ପଡ଼ିବ । ଏଭଳି ଏକ ଦାୟିତ୍ୱ ଆମେ ନେଇପାରିବା ଯଦି ସବୁ ପ୍ରକାର ଅବୁଝାମଣା ଓ ଅନ୍ଧ ବିଶ୍ୱାସରୁ ଆମେ ନିଜକୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରିପାରିବା । ନିଜକୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରିବାର ଚିନ୍ତା ନକରି ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ମୁକ୍ତିର ରାସ୍ତା ଖୋଜି ବାହାର କରିବା ଏକ ସହଜ କାମ ନୁହେଁ । ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ମୁକ୍ତିର ରାସ୍ତା ବାହାର କରିବାର ସାମୂହିକ ଉଦ୍ୟମର ନାମ ରଖାଯାଇଛି “ସମଦୃଷ୍ଟି ମୁକ୍ତ ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ” । ଆମେ ଖୁସି ଯେ ଆମର ଏହି ଉଦ୍ୟମରେ ଲୋହିୟା ଏକାଡ଼େମୀ ସହଯୋଗର ହାତ ବଢ଼ାଇଛନ୍ତି ।