All 16 Calcutta Rescue students who recently took and passed their end-of-secondary school exams - 10 of them were among the best - can now attend college. These are the best results ever achieved by Calcutta Rescue students.
In addition, 24 out of 25 students passed their 10th grade exams. This is an extraordinary achievement considering the difficult background of the children and young people and the fact that schools in West Bengal were closed for most of last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike most other schools, the Calcutta Rescue teachers spared no effort and taught and supervised their students online via smartphone.
The head teacher of Calcutta Rescue, Ananya Chatterjee, explains that the teachers are currently completing a two-year training programme organized by the British charity Helga Todd Foundation. In the first six months, they have already gained a lot of skills and confidence. The number of pupils who stay until they graduate and do not leave school early has tripled in the last four years. This is also thanks to Calcutta Rescue's new school social work team, which provides additional support to the children and young people and their parents.
Ananya says: "I am very grateful to all my wonderful colleagues and the entire education team. The best reward for me is to see the school children grow up and move towards a better future. It is truly heartwarming to see them learning and growing during the pandemic years and now graduating with so much confidence. Our team has worked very hard. It was a real challenge to keep these young people on track during the long pandemic period when schools were closed. Their physical and mental health was our top priority".