The KECT Academy in Kolkata stands out with its unique approach, offering tailored English curriculum, women’s empowerment initiatives, and thorough socio-economic assessments to uplift marginalized communities.
Navigating through the dusty, rugged lanes flanked by canal-side garbage, you’ll find the KECT Academy nestled in the under-construction building within Gulshan Colony, Uttar Panchchanna gram.
This educational institution, affiliated with the Kolkata Educational and Charitable Trust (KECT), strives to provide exceptional education to economically disadvantaged individuals.
The academy’s premises, currently hosting classes up to standard VII, feature modern teaching tools, advanced technology, quality infrastructure, and a favorable teacher-student ratio.
What’s most striking is the hopeful gazes of children from families displaced due to Kolkata’s rising living costs.
“I aspire to become a writer,” declares Asiya, a fifth-grade student at KECT Academy. Despite her father’s daily labor in a shoe factory and her mother’s homemaking duties, Asiya speaks impeccable English.
She shares that her inspiration came from watching a video on her mother’s phone, where another girl talked about writing stories, motivating her to start writing herself.
Asiya proudly mentions she has penned 41 stories, drawing from her dreams, ambitions, and experiences of living amidst poverty.
This narrative mirrors the stories of many students at the Academy, which aims to be a catalyst for their dreams, whether they aspire to be writers, doctors, teachers, police officers, or civil servants.
The origins of KECT Academy trace back to the early 1990s when a group of young individuals founded the Friends of Education Society, encouraging youths to pursue civil service exams through tutorial classes.
Reflecting on their motivations, Shakil Ahmed, a trustee and one of the founders, recalls how their initial success in civil services left them with an unfulfilled desire to offer quality education to the neediest.
Former DCP SM Kalimuddin explains the choice of Uttar Panchanna’s Gulshan Colony, a burgeoning urban area inhabited by the economically strained, which lacked good educational facilities.
This led them to establish KECT Academy, aiming to provide education, skills, values, and support to children from financially disadvantaged families.
Trustee Manzar Jameel emphasizes the organization’s commitment to providing top-tier education to the most vulnerable populations, empowering them to lead future generations.
To ensure the efficacy of their efforts, KECT conducts rigorous background checks on applicants, prioritizing children from single-parent families or those facing financial hardship.
Following assessments, parents receive guidance on meeting their child’s academic needs, and the academy offers remedial classes and grooming workshops to support student development.
The academy also empowers women like Dhanpati Devi, a group D staff member, by providing employment opportunities and financial support.
Looking ahead, KECT envisions expanding into a comprehensive school offering education up to Standard XII and eventually establishing an engineering college for underprivileged individuals.
Funding for the academy primarily comes from public donations, with Zakat donations supporting basic expenses like books and clothes, while other contributions aid infrastructure development.