Akshar School in Guwahati has hit headlines for a very unique reason. The school has launched a first-of-it's-kind fee structure: students bring with them bags full of plastic waste and give it to the school as fees.
Akshar School is certainly ruling the game when it comes to sensitising children towards the subject of plastic waste.?
Mazin Mukhtar and Parmita Sarma opened the school in 2016 with aim to help the downtrodden section of the society and to promote the importance of environmental protection.
And, boy! They are doing a great job!
According to reports,? the children deposit at least 10 to 20 plastic items per week, with a pledge to not burn plastic.
Mazin who completed his education in New York, got back to Assam to build a school. At the time, Parmita helped him understand the social landscape of Assam.?
"Our school is different in many ways. We have designed the curriculum basically for poverty-stricken children. While they are regularly imparted lessons on mathematics, science, geography and so on, we have also incorporated vocational skill training so that they can become skilled professionals at the end of the course,” Mazin told Northeast Now.?
“Here we have noticed that use of plastic is huge. The plastics are not only harming the environment but also affecting the ecology of the area. People here also used to burn plastic during the winters to keep them warm from cold. So we hit upon the idea of recycling the used plastic and save the environment,” said Parmita.
The school also runs on unconventional admission procedures.
The students of different age groups are tested at the time of admission and are then given a designated “level." The school conducts tests every Friday. The ones to do well in the test get to climb up a level, states reports.
The two got married last year and have taken forward their dream of building this unique school together.?
What an inspiring duo, we certainly need more people like them.