Nabila Kazmi: Teachers Who Are Making A Difference

We all know that the Indian education system needs some serious reforms. There is a lack of teachers in India since the job seems so unattractive. Teachers in India get paid so less that it is hard to sustain yourself in this fast-paced of society.

However, there are those who teach out of passion and their willingness to imbibe education in the younger generation. There are a lot of platforms coming up, like Teach For India, where one can go to a school in the remote parts of India and teach underprivileged children.

"I knew the best way to understand education was to be in a classroom”

Nabila Kazmi, a 31-year-old woman, based in Bangalore used to work for a corporate and had a steady job in the software sector. However, she wasn’t satisfied internally. While she was working, she got the chance to volunteer as a teacher on the weekends at Kadesh Children's Home and that's when she knew that she wanted to get into education.

She told us that being a teacher wasn’t exactly her first choice, “Having come from a system of 'unrealistic' education, this sector became an attraction fairly easily. Though teaching was not my first option - I knew the best way to understand education was to be in a classroom.”

Nabila Kazmi spent a year teaching in Arunachal Pradesh // Pic credits: Nabila Kazmi

Nabila thinks that her journey into education has been of someone who has been quite confused in life, “I have been swayed away by the waves that certain moments in my life have brought. I don't think I regret them as they have brought in experience with it. Engineering followed by MTech and then an MA and now looking at PhD options, this clearly is an indication of someone unsure or looking for inspiration. Though, now I intend to definitely stick to the field of education - I would love to continue teaching and alongside I would also like to contribute in areas complimenting the same.”

Being in a classroom can teach you a lot about education, the psyche of kids and even about yourself. Nabila elaborates, “The most positive outcome is the learning one gets from the brightest minds and the simplest hearts. Kids have beautiful unpolluted brains and hearts, that is a source of great inspiration. These, you could say are the achievements of a teacher though highly intangible.”

Nabila taught at a school in Arunachal Pradesh as a science teacher for a year between 2016 and 2017. She worked there with Jhamste Gatsal Children's Community to bring awareness and educate the children with the essential knowledge they would need later in life.

"Another very important thing I learnt is to not be judgemental because that closes our mind to anything different, and as a teacher, one can't afford that with a variety of kids in the class."

She told us that being open to the kids’ ideas and thoughts is important and when you are dealing with children, you also need to be non-judgemental and unbiased, "What has helped me in my classes is to be open to learning from the kids. The big jargon here could start with a simple action of listening to the kids and connecting with them outside the formal classroom space which would give them the freedom to express themselves. Another very important thing, I learnt is to not be judgemental because that closes our mind to anything different, and as a teacher, one can't afford that with a variety of kids in the class."

Nabila's friend Surya interacting with students outside of class // Pic credits: Nabila Kazmi

There is a need for major reforms when it comes to Indian education, but when there are inspiring teachers like Nabila, who are happy to leave their well-paying jobs and educate kids instead, India has a bright future. We hope that more young people take up teaching and can help these kids reach their potential regardless of their socio-economical backgrounds.

Pic credits: Nabila Kazmi

Also read: Benjamine Oberoi: She Comes From France But Makes India A Better Place
Read more stories by Nikhita Sanotra