Surat: For some girls, leaving school is not the end of their education but a pause dictated by circumstances. Financial difficulties, responsibilities at home or family decisions can force them out of classrooms long before they are ready to give up on studies. Years later, some are finding their way back — and are now preparing to become teachers themselves.What makes their journeys striking is that these women are not just returning to education; they are choosing to pass on what they received. After being encouraged to resume their studies by Naresh Mehta, a teacher and principal of a Surat Municipal Corporation-run school, they now hope to guide other children facing similar hurdles.Mehta has been reaching out to girls who have dropped out, visiting their homes and encouraging them to continue their education as external students. He initially brought such girls together at one place for free tuition and later shifted to online coaching. His efforts have helped women like Nilam Rathod, Dipika Gohil and Shahida Kapadia restart education at very different stages of their lives.Nilam Rathod, 25, completed her BA this year and is pursuing an MA, with plans to take up a BEd. Her education was interrupted after Class X in 2017 following the sudden death of her father. She took up work as a saree machine operator to support her family but continued looking for a way to resume her studies.A friend suggested that she approach Mehta. Rathod eventually resumed her education and, during graduation, began working as a teacher. “I took up teaching out of inspiration from Naresh sir. As he supports needy students to complete their education, I also want to light up the lives of others who are left out due to some limitations,” she said.Dipika Gohil, 31, had to discontinue her studies after her father was paralysed. She has now enrolled for a BA and plans to become a teacher after completing the required qualifications.“Naresh sir is giving hope to many students like us and I too want to help other students the same way. For a teacher, it is possible to transform a person’s and her family’s destiny,” she said.For Shahida Kapadia, 35, the return to education came 19 years after she separated from her husband. She is pursuing a BA and plans to complete a BEd. “Education is very important in the life of any individual and I want to educate children like I got help from Naresh sir,” she said.Mehta started coaching school dropouts around 12 years ago. His reach expanded after the Covid-19 lockdown, when students from across Gujarat began approaching him for help. He shifted to online coaching during the pandemic and also helped students who had dropped out during the two-year disruption.“Majority of these girls are good at studies. They just need some support and guidance that helps them ensure a good life for themselves and their families too,” Mehta said.
