Page 31 - Lavender-B-8
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‘I do,’ said Abdul.

              ‘Chuskit, I will see you again. I must go now. My mother will be waiting for me. Julley!’

              The next day, Abdul went straight to the Headmaster’s room after assembly.

              ‘Julley, Azhang-ley !’  he said. ‘I want to talk to you about a girl from our village who does
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              not go to school. Her name is Chuskit. She is Stobdan’s sister.’

              ‘Oh yes,’ replied the Headmaster. ‘I know her. She is disabled, isn’t she?’

              ‘Yes, Azhang-ley. She uses a wheelchair to move around but cannot reach school, as the

              path from her home is too rough and uneven. I was wondering if we could do anything to
              help her, Azhang-ley. We could all get together and level the path and also build a small
              bridge across the stream.’

              ‘That’s very thoughtful of you, Abdul,’ said the Headmaster as he patted him on the back.
              ‘What made you think of Chuskit and her problems?’

              ‘Azhang-ley, last week we read about the fundamental rights of citizens in our civics class.
              All children have a right to education. That includes Chuskit as well, does it not?’

              ‘Yes, you are right, Abdul. Let me discuss this with the other teachers,’ replied the

              Headmaster.

              The next day the Headmaster called all the teachers to a meeting. He shared Abdul’s ideas
              with the group and asked the teachers
              what they felt. ‘Impossible!’ said one
              of them. ‘How can we have a disabled
              child in our school? How will she

              be able to write, play and
              go to the toilet like the other
              children do?’

              ‘That’s exactly what we have to work
              out,’ said the Headmaster. ‘I hear
              that in the village of Mentok Yul, the

              Village Education Committee has
              helped build a special toilet for one of
              their disabled children.

              We could ask them what they have
              done. But first we will have Chuskit to
              school. Then we could think of ways

              of helping her do things in school.’

              8   term used with respect for an elderly man

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