'Besides the formal curriculum, we also give them non-formal education. The school operates in two modes: the site school runs in the factory premises, and the gang school spreads all over the sugarcane pockets in Maharashtra. Consequently, children have no choice but to drop out of schools.' However, bridging this gap are the make-shift Sakhar Shalas, which function between December and March every year. 'These labourers stay away from their homes for nearly eight months.

Jnana Prabodhini director Girish Bapat told TNN a majority of migratory sugarcane labourers hail from Beed, Osmanabad, Ahmednagar, Jalna, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli. Some of the sugar factories who have successfully introduced the Sakhar Shala programme in their factories premises are the Yashwant co-operative sugar factory (Pune), Vasantdada co-operative (Sangli) and Datta-Shirol factory (Kolhapur). 'The donated amount will be utilised for training 250 teachers for similar schooling projects,' said Chaudhari. Praj chairman Pramod Chaudhari said that the new experiment would help educate underprivileged children. Impressed by the novel endeavour, city-based Praj Industries donated Rs 7.5 lakh toward the Sakhar Shala programme on October 29. This year,we plan to expand the schooling concept to 40 other sugar factories in the state,' said Geetanjali Degaonkar, programme director of Sakhar Shala. 'Last year, we taught a total of 3,200 primary and pre-primary students (four to 14 years of age). During 2001-02, approximately 34 sugar factories from western Maharashtra had introduced the Sakhar Shalas in their factory premises. Initiated in 1992 with the primary aim of educating children of migratory sugarcane labourers, the Sakhar Shala (sugar school) has educated 7,500-odd primary and pre-primary students across the sugarcane belts in Maharashtra till date. All thanks to a novel 100-day Sakhar Shala programme initiated by the city-based Jnana Prabodhini educational institute.

But ask them to recite a nursery rhyme and in a jiffy the two go 'One, two buckle my shoe.' in unison. PUNE: Six-year-old Sangeeta Mane and Pramod Bhingare (11), children of itinerant sugarcane labourers from a remote village in Osmanabad district, have never put on a decent pair of shoes in their life.

Sakhar ayukta pune