YOU ARE INVITED TO
A Celebration of 'Walk-Outs'
Some think we are fools
Not to be in schools
But there are places other than schools & college
To gain some knowledge
We are labeled as drop-outs
When all we did was walk out
So don’t you agree, buddy
Life's not just textbook study
The system we went to get educated
Left us getting suffocated
Like caged animals, yes it’s true
Some schools are run like zoos.
In all this confusion
We will create a new revolution
For this we have to persevere
Having no fear
Here is a convention
With certainly some positive intention
In which a whole load of ideas & experiences about
self-learning we can exchange
And discuss many other interests of a much wider range
Come for this.
It’s a chance
you just can't miss!!
Join
us in September for this unique
celebration
of 'Walk-Outs'!
Some of the questions
we will exchange views and experiences on will be:
§
How
have we taken charge of our own learning and created our own learning webs?
§
Why
did we leave the formal system of schooling or college?
§
Who
are we? What are our questions, passions, talents, concerns, dreams?
§
How
do we learn? What
spaces/people/resources do we like to interact with?
§
What
kinds of unlearning processes have we gone through to heal ourselves from the damage
and lies of schooling?
§
How
can we form mutually nurturing relationships amongst ourselves and support each
other’s continuous learning?
§
How
can we challenge the formal system and encourage others, who feel trapped, to
take the next steps to leave it?
This celebration will be held from Sept 14-18, 2003 in Nashik,
India.
Given the importance of
engaging in meaningful and intense dialogue, there will be a maximum of 35
people in this celebration, who will be coming together from different parts of
South Asia. And unlike most
conferences, there will be no pre-set agenda or process. Rather, we expect that the content of the
gathering will emerge from the participant themselves, and will utilize a
variety of processes of expression and communication: arts, games, theater,
meditation, photography/video/film, writing, cooking, speaking, listening,
dreaming… The meeting will primarily be in Hindi and local languages.
Please let us know if
you or fellow walk-outs are interested in joining us for this special
event. Feel free to contact us if you
need any further information. We look forward to hearing from you before August
30, 2003…
With best wishes …
Shilpa Jain Shikshantar (Udaipur, Rajasthan) shilpa@swaraj.org
Nitin Paranjape Abhivyakti (Nashik, Maharashtra) abhivyakti@sancharnet.in
Background Note
Today,
those who have the good sense to choose to leave the dominant system of
education are labeled by it as ‘drop-outs’.
This negative term connotes failing and incompetence, and is applied to
those who don’t fit in the competitive schooling or college system. In this gathering, we seek to turn this term
(and the underlying worldview it is connected to) on its head.
We
view the decision to walk out (or rise out) of formal educational structures,
as a thoughtful and positive choice. Far from signifying incompetence, walking
out demonstrates intelligence, creativity and courage of conviction. It also exposes education for what is: a
deep form of violence against peoples’ minds, bodies and spirits, which cuts
them off from nature, their family, communities, culture, work, expression, and
themselves. Furthermore, walking out represents a strong form of dissent
against the global political economy. It is a powerful indication of reclaiming
control over one’s own learning, and therefore, over one’s own life. It is an important step in
de-institutionalizing one’s life and moving towards swaraj.
In
this day and age, many young people — and their families — feel frustrated and
angered by the educational system (and the larger global economy to which it is
linked), both while in it and afterward.
Yet, they lack the imagination, or the confidence, or the social
support, to leave it and pursue other, more meaningful paths of learning. They feel that they have no choice but to
keep their children in school. We hope this gathering will not only enable
walk-outs to share their stories, questions and dreams with one another, but
also will inspire others to see the strength and potential of rising out of
stifling, dead institutions. We seek to
lift the taboo from those who choose to walk-out. The meeting will also
highlight the dynamic possibilities and choices that exist outside of
institutionalized education. A dynamic and beautiful world of living and
learning – which is much bigger than schooling – awaits each one of us, if we
choose to recognize it. During the
meeting itself, we will try to generate a booklet, video, artwork, theatre,
etc. to assist those who want to leave school and create their own learning
webs where they can ‘walk-into’ with dignity.
The
individuals, organizations, movements and networks putting this celebration
together firmly believe in the power of walking-out and living life more
creatively, justly and ecologically harmoniously. We are interested in creating
spaces and nurturing relationships where this decision can be valued and
expanded. Our commitment is to highlight other learning/doing options that
exist (and the ways people are creating their own options) in the world so that
human beings can have a real choice about their education.