The year is progressing and time is passing very quickly. These are very special and challenging times at the Nature School.
Due to the downturn in donations last year, we are facing a number of issues that need to be resolved in order to ensure the school’s continued existence.
The accommodation for the teachers
The building in which four teachers have been living so far, who mostly stay there overnight and only drive to their families at the weekends, is now in a very bad state of repair.
The roof is leaking and the building also needs freshening up in many other ways.
Discussions are currently taking place to find out which cost-effective options and solutions are available.
More resignations from teachers
This year we have already received the fourth resignation from teachers.
Miss Pragya, who joined us a few months ago, left the school again after a short time because, for cultural reasons in India, she cannot stay overnight in a room at the school by herself with men. However, she was unable to make the long journey from Risikhesh. Renting a room would cost about 3000 rupees, which would also be deducted from her small salary. So Pragya decided to transfer to a government school.
This is a shame, as Pragya was a young, capable and talented teacher.
Here, too, we need to look at how female teachers can be given the same right as their male colleagues to accommodation at the school, so that the school can also be attractive to female teachers. It would be very welcome if more women could work for the school.
Now, at the beginning of October, our long-standing teacher Kuldeep is leaving the school. Again, it is for financial reasons that he is moving to a government school.
We very much regret the departure of Kuldeep, because he was a loving teacher who was always willing to take on other tasks that did not fall within the teacher’s resort. He has helped with bushfire fighting many times.
We thank him from the bottom of our hearts for his long loyalty and loving work.
Teachers repeatedly ask us for a salary increase, as is also possible at other private schools, and the salaries at government schools are much higher than ours.
Financially, our hands are tied in this matter in order to be able to bear the maintenance costs of the school.
Due to the four resignations this year, the school is now left with only four teachers for seven classes, which is an unspeakable challenge.
Principal Deepak is looking for new teachers and we hope that we can get the school up and running again.
As always, the children enjoy their lessons and we thank the teacher Lady Ritu and the teachers Deepak, Bipin, Dinesh with all our hearts for continuing to support the school and being there for the children even under difficult circumstances.
Monsoon destroys access road
Due to heavy rainfall, slopes repeatedly slide and destroy the access road to the school.
Once again, the teachers – despite their small wages – have given everything to ensure that the road is passable for the school bus.
At the same time, the teachers were able to win over the parents of the children and two workers with an earthmover. The day of the road repair was Mahatma Ghandi’s birthday and so the two workers with the excavator spontaneously donated the work with the excavator in honour of Ghandi.
A big thank you to everyone for this heartfelt work and support.
We urgently request your support
due to all the above-mentioned events, we ask all friends of the nature school and those who want to become friends for financial support so that the school can be maintained and the teachers can receive appropriate salaries for all their efforts.
We thank you in advance for your support.
Heartfelt greetings
Susanne and Richard Kellenberger
the whole school team and above all on behalf of all children and parents