印度小學(xué)讓家長用種樹代替交學(xué)費(fèi)

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.

印度恰蒂斯加爾邦的一所小學(xué)要求家長用栽種樹苗代替交學(xué)費(fèi)，以鼓勵(lì)更多的學(xué)生接受教育，即便是那些家長無力負(fù)擔(dān)學(xué)費(fèi)的孩子。

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.

家長要負(fù)責(zé)照顧樹苗，如果樹苗死了，就要再種一棵新的。但這和傳統(tǒng)學(xué)校的學(xué)費(fèi)相比已經(jīng)便宜很多了。

And it comes with the added bonus of helping to improve local air quality.

這一舉措還有助于改善當(dāng)?shù)氐目諝赓|(zhì)量。

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

這所名為教育茅屋的小學(xué)位于印度東部的阿姆比卡普爾市。

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

據(jù)亞洲國際新聞社報(bào)道，至少有35名四到五歲兒童就讀于該小學(xué)。

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

面對(duì)印度飛速上漲的教育費(fèi)用，一個(gè)由當(dāng)?shù)貙＜液蜕倘私M成的組織發(fā)起了本次倡議。

Currently, 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.

目前，印度政府僅將3.9%的預(yù)算花在教育上，因此家長不僅要支付高昂的學(xué)費(fèi)，還要為書本和學(xué)習(xí)用具買單。

A national survey released last year showed that between 2008 and 2014, private expenditure has increased by 175 percent to Rs6,788 per student each year (US$100).

去年發(fā)布的一項(xiàng)全國調(diào)查表明，2008至2014年間，每位學(xué)生的年均私人教育支出上漲了175%，達(dá)到了6788盧比(約合100美元)。

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.

雖然100美元聽起來并不多，但是很多印度家庭，尤其是農(nóng)村地區(qū)的家庭都負(fù)擔(dān)不起，何況這還只是小學(xué)學(xué)費(fèi)。

"In Delhi alone, the average expenditure on general education has grown three times since 2008," Maria Thomas wrote for Quartz last year.

去年，瑪利亞•托馬斯在給Quartz網(wǎng)的文章中寫道：“2008年以來，光是在德里，普通教育的平均花費(fèi)就已經(jīng)增長了三倍。”

"This starts right from the nursery level, with parents spending more money on donations and fees than the cost of degrees at Delhi University and even some management institutes."

“教育費(fèi)用的上漲從幼兒園就已經(jīng)開始了，家長的捐款和學(xué)費(fèi)花銷比在德里大學(xué)或某些管理學(xué)院獲得學(xué)位的費(fèi)用還要高。”

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

由于缺少政府的資金支持，教育系統(tǒng)的教學(xué)質(zhì)量也有所下降。

The 2014 Annual Status of Education report found that nearly 20 percent of grade 2 students, aged seven or eight, didn't recognise the numbers between one and nine.

2014年的印度年度教育現(xiàn)狀報(bào)告表明，七八歲的小學(xué)二年級(jí)學(xué)生中，有近20%認(rèn)不全從一到九的個(gè)位數(shù)。

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

但教育茅屋通過讓學(xué)生上得起學(xué)來促進(jìn)全民教育。

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

到目前為止，該校的舉措得到了積極響應(yīng)。僅去年一年，家長已經(jīng)在村莊里種了700棵樹苗。

"Shiksha Kuteer has opened in the village for students who are poor and have no money to pay fees," local villager, Sevak Das, told Asian News International.

村民西瓦克•達(dá)斯告訴亞洲國際新聞社：“教育茅屋是為沒錢交學(xué)費(fèi)的貧困學(xué)生開設(shè)的。”

"Students are being taught in English medium. They are being taught till a certain standard and their guardians have been asked to plant saplings instead of paying fees."

“學(xué)校用英語授課，在學(xué)生達(dá)到一定水平之前，他們都會(huì)在這里接受教育。學(xué)校要求監(jiān)護(hù)人用栽種樹苗代替交學(xué)費(fèi)。”

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.

雖然教育茅屋只是一個(gè)印度小村莊里的小學(xué)校，但如果它的方法奏效，這對(duì)其他學(xué)校來說就是個(gè)值得借鑒的案例。

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

該方法并無不妥，因?yàn)樵谟《群芏嗟貐^(qū)，空氣污染問題正變得日益嚴(yán)重。

Last month, Delhi's air was so toxic that its schools had to shut down.

上個(gè)月，德里的空氣污染嚴(yán)重，當(dāng)?shù)貙W(xué)校只得停課。

While a few trees aren't going to solve that problem any time soon, making families plant and take care of a tree - and replace it if it dies - is a way to encourage positive air-purifying action, as well as helping to educate the next generation.

盡管種幾棵樹在短期內(nèi)無法解決空氣污染問題，但學(xué)生家長種下一棵樹并照顧它，如果樹死掉的話還要再種一棵新的，這種方法能對(duì)積極的空氣凈化行動(dòng)起到鼓勵(lì)作用，還能教育下一代。