Mohan Kale, a 21-year-old student of Signal school in Thane, bagged a job in consumer goods company (Eureka Forbes). Kale after scoring a good percentage in SSC got admission for electrical engineering at Rustomjee Career Institute. At present he is in the final year of engineering diploma and has got placement in the company.
Until the signal school was introduced in Thane, Kale use to sell garlands at Teen Haat Naka signal in Thane. The signal school was introduced at Teen Haat Naka for children who beg or hawk at the signal, by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) along with NGO Samarth Bharat Vyaspeth in 2016. Kale joined the school soon after it was introduced.
Kale and his family originally hail from drought prone area in Osmanabad. Hence, in search of job, Kale and his parents migrated to the city in search of livelihood and began selling flowers.
"The economic condition of my family was very unstable; it became worst after my father lost one of his legs in an accident few years ago. Our main occupation was agriculture, however there was drought condition in our village for three to four years that forced us to migrate in search of livelihood. I have to leave my studies after class 7th in village due to lack of money," said Kale.
According to the teacher from Signal school in Thane, Kale was one of the bright students and is the first student from the Signal school to pass out with good percentage and get a job. Kale was 18 years old when he joined the signal school. However, he resumed schooling from class 8 due to the huge gap, since he left his school at his village.
"After scoring good percentage in 8th class, Kale worked hard to get good marks in next standard, accordingly he scored 77 percent in SSC. He kept his same dedication in his engineering exams as well, which has resulted in getting placement while he is in his final year of engineering,” said Aarti Parab, Teacher, Signal School.
After achieving good percentage in SSC, Kale went for higher studies by getting enrolled in electrical engineering at Rustomjee career institute. Kale is one of the 50 students whose parents are working as labourer or from a poor background, who got enrolled in Thane's Signal school for education.
"The students studying in Signal school attend their classes by managing their work (source of their livelihood), as many of them sells balloons, eatables, flowers or toys at the signal. At present there are 5-6 teachers attending around 50 students from Pre-primary to secondary sections at Signal school," added Parab.
