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A Long, long, long journey to Education

“Root of the education is bitter but the fruit is sweet” some wise man said it. The fatigue of having to toddle to the school, fever of exams, the torture of having to burn the midnight oil, dozing in the classes and the stern rigors are hard to endure, few even give up on the way (where does that land?) but many endure it with utmost determination and commitment, because deep inside everyone knows it pays later.

Kado in the tender age of 12 is negotiating the steep mountain with his school bag, full of books. He is on his way to the primary school in his village, almost 5 kilometers away. He has to make sure he is in the school to attend the morning social works; otherwise he is penalized for the absence. Unlike the students who reside nearby, he has no time to play on the way or throw stones on the birds. He is almost late and has hardly Pic

Fortunately, the time he reaches the school, students have just congregated for the routine school surrounding cleaning work and he is just right on the time. The pearls of perspiration on his forehead are still not dried and he silently joins his mates in the Druk House for the work. Soon, he is in the class, trying desperately to listen to the lecture from the teachers. But the fatigue of walking long distance seems to overpower him and drag him to sleep.

Earlier that morning, he has woken up at the first crack of the rooster. Without the electricity, his mother cooked him a breakfast in the illumination of the kerosene-fed lamp. The time seems to race and when he is hardly done with dressing, it is already his time to start the journey. The journey on foot takes him almost three hours, through the jungle infested with leeches in summer and the wild animals too. Yet, his tiny legs make the committed steps towards the brighter future, hoping to receive himself good education and serve as an officer in civil service.

The burst of the bell woke him and his class teacher has already left, lucky that he wasn’t detected sleeping. The sleep bothers him for the whole day and finally the bell rings to call the day off and announce the classes are over. But for Kado, it is not over yet. He has another two hours journey to run down the mountain to his home after attending the evening prayer. Back at home, he has to spare the helping hands to his parents. The pigs in the sty have to be fed; the cattle have to be tethered.

Left with last atom of energy, he goes to sleep looking forward for the cozy and comfortable life in the future.

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