The Flying Classroom: Akhtar Colony only part of town that agrees to German school bus

Bus will work from 9am to 1pm to teach Math, Science, English and Urdu.

KARACHI: “That’s my school!” called out the 10-year-old as he hugged the wheels of a colourful bus that will go around the town to teach other children like him, who cannot afford to go to school.

Children like him, dressed colourfully followed him and scurried to grab a seat in the yellow 25-seater. Some were adamant about sitting alone, while others shared their seat with friends. Grinning ear to ear, the children waved at other children, teachers and organisers who had gathered to launch The Flying Classroom (TFC) on Friday at the Goethe Institut. From Monday, TFC will take school to children who cannot go to school.

“You don’t go school, the school comes to you,” quipped German Consul General Dr Tilo Klinner while talking to the gathering. TFC is a joint venture of the Institut, the German foreign ministry and some German NGOs. The Thespianz Foundation serves as the local partner.

“When I was your age, this was my favourite book,” said Goethe Institut Director Dr Markuz Litz as he raised the book in his hands. ‘Das fliegende Klassenzimmer’ or The Flying Classroom is a 1933 novel for children written by the German writer Erich Kästner and is set in a boarding school.  “The concept of TFC comes from a famous German novel for children,” explained Litz.

In the programme, the children will be taught Mathematics, Science, English and Urdu on board the bus, 25 students at a time. This way, children who have never been to school will receive a basic education. The mobile school will operate from 9 am to 1 pm from Monday to Thursday and will be off from Friday to Sunday.

Litz proudly announced Goethe Institut’s next two projects, for which they are planning to buy two more buses. One will serve as a mobile theatre and the other as a mobile library.

“TFC will only operate in the Akhtar Colony area for now,” said Thespianz Foundation chairman Faisal Malik. He added that the project had been delayed because of safety concerns in the city. “We applied to different town administrations. Only Jamshed Town permitted us to operate TFC,” he said wistfully. Thespianz Foundation already operates a non-profit school in Akhtar Colony named Thesfo School System, which provides underprivileged students free primary education, books, stationery and other materials.

As a treat for the children, actor and singer Khalid Anum sang a remix of Uncle Sargam ki gaari (Uncle Sargam’s car), the title song of the famous puppet show. “We are always criticising the goras [foreigners] but never acknowledge the good that they do,” he remarked. “It really saddens me that none of us take initiatives like this.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st,  2011.