Sober schoolkids praised

Nearly 40 children in a primary school in India have been singled out for special praise - they have stopped coming to classes drunk.

The children, aged six to 11, were used to drinking thanks to the free availability of liquor in a pre-dominantly tribal village where consumption of alcohol - mostly prepared from the fruit of the local mahua flower - is routine, even for children.

But then a new headmaster, Sunil Tarkaswar, came to the school in the village of Zitapatti in the state of Madhya Pradesh. He was alarmed by the poor results and lack of attention from many students and even less impressed by those who were asleep during classes.

The students, including many girls, admitted that they came to school drunk.

"Liquor in these areas is prepared at home, mostly for personal consumption though some Zitapatti residents have now started selling it to the truck drivers who cross the highway here," Mr Tarkaswar said.
The headmaster began his campaign to dry out his school by meeting parents, especially mothers and grandmothers. He says he "used every trick from threats to long chats" to wean away his pupils from alcohol.

However, he also needed to draft in the support of the village headman as well as a respected social worker in the area, Chabildas Mehta, who readily agreed to spread the message.