To encourage all students to get an education, even if their parents can’t afford it, a primary school in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh is asking parents to simply plant a tree sapling instead of paying school fees.

The parents have to take care of the sapling and plant a new one if it dies — but compared to the cost of traditional school fees, it’s a small price to pay. And it comes with the added bonus of helping to improve local air quality.

The school is Shiksha Kuteer in the city of Ambikapur in the east of the country.

According to Asian News International, at least 35 students between the ages of 4 and 5 are studying there.

The initiative was set up by a group of local professionals and business owners in response to India’s skyrocketing education fees.

The government spends just 3.9 percent of its budget on education, which means parents are left to pay for hefty school fees, as well as paying for books and school supplies.

A national survey released last year showed that between 2008 and 2014, private expenditure has increased by 175 percent to 6,788 rupees per student each year (US$100).

That might not sound like a lot, but for many families — particularly in rural regions — it’s not affordable, especially at the primary school level.

The lack of government spending is also damaging the education system too.

The 2014 Annual Status of Education report found that nearly 20 percent of grade 2 students, aged 7 or 8, didn’t recognize the numbers between one and nine.

But by offering an affordable way to get students into schools, Shiksha Kuteer is encouraging education for everyone.

So far, the school has received an overwhelming response, and 700 saplings have been planted across the village over the last year.

This is just one small in a small village in India, but if the approach works, it could be something that other schools look into.

And it can’t hurt, because every day, air pollution becomes a worsening problem in many parts of India.

印度恰蒂斯加尔邦的一所小学要求家长用种树替交学费，以鼓励更多的学生接受教育，即便是那些家长无力负担学费的孩子。

家长要负责照顾树苗，如果树苗死了，就要补种一棵新的。但这和传统的学费相比已经便宜很多了。这一举措还有助于改善当地的空气质量。

这所名为教育茅屋的小学位于印度东部的阿姆比卡普尔市。据亚洲国际新闻社报

道，至少有35名四到五岁儿童就读于该小学。面对印度飞速上涨的教育费用，一群当地专业人士和商人组织发起了本次倡议。目前，印度政府仅将3.9%的预算花在教育上，因此家长不仅要支付高昂的学费，还购买书本和学习用具。

去年发布的一项全国调查表明，2008至2014年间，每位学生的年均私人教育支出上涨了175%，达到了6788卢比（约合100美元）。

虽然100美元听起来并不多，但是很多印度家庭，尤其是农村地区的家庭都负担不起，何况这还只是小学学费。

由于缺少政府的资金支持，教育系统的教学质量也有所下降。

2014年的印度年度教育现状报告表明，七八岁的小学二年级学生中，有近20%认不全从一到九的个位数。

教育茅屋通过让学生上得起学来促进全民教育。到目前为止，该校的举措得到了积极响应。仅去年一年，家长已经在村庄里种了700棵树苗。

虽然教育茅屋只是一个印度小村庄里的小学校，但如果它的方法奏效，这对其他学校来说就是个值得借鉴的案例。

这没什么不好，因为印度很多地区的空气污染问题正变得日益严重。

(Chinadaily.com.cn)

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    【树苗】shùmiáo sapling a young tree

    【巨大的】jùdà de overwhelming overpowering in effect, number, or force