What comes first Education or Responsibility?

Swati, a lively girl, lives in the heart of the city with 8 other members of her family in a one-room kitchen house. She joined our Ngo (SPARSHA) when she was in standard 3 with her younger 4 siblings and got enrolled in the nearby BMC school after a lot of persuasion for completing their studies.

Swati passed 12th standard this year with good grades because of her hard work all these years. Swati’s father is a daily wage earner who used to work as masonry at the construction site; due to the pandemic he lost his job and being the only earner in the family it has become quite difficult for them to even make up for a two-time meal a day for the family of 8. As there are no means of earning now, the family has started doing housework in which they earn 80 to 90 Rs per day making up to a few hundred for a month.

They even have to think a thousand times before buying any basic necessities. In this online mode of education, a mobile phone with good internet facility is a must for each student , however there is only one phone in the house thus the result is none of them can focus clearly on their studies leading to lack of adequate education. When they can’t even afford a meal, how can they buy a phone for the other siblings? How will they even think of recharging their phones for internet connectivity? 

On the other hand, Swati who has completed her 12th standard is very optimistic about her bright future ahead, she has a lot of big dreams to achieve and has a passion to soar high in life provide a better life to her family, however, her dreams are being crushed she is facing misery because of her family’s financial problems, her father is not ready to pay for her further education as he has to look after every sibling equally. That is why her father wants her to take up a job and fulfill the requirements of her family as her father does, but is it right?

Well I know her father must be having his reasons but this isn’t right, to be honest over here no one can justify what is right or wrong. As her family is going through a very tough situation this time her first challenge right now is to enroll herself for graduation. She knows she has to go through a lot, and she is even willing to do so. But will she be able to soar high in the sky?