Chalk and Duster
Chalk and Duster
An emotional journey about two friendly teachers Vidya and Jyoti who decided to stand up against the large-scale commercialisation of education in schools, Chalk and Duster is a movie which stands out from the rest. The film elaborates on the passion and their love for teaching which develops into a special bond with their students. The movie also explains that the only gratification the teachers received was good grades and a strong sense of morality among their students. However, things take an ugly turn in the lives of these teachers as the newly appointed principal (Kamini) tries to commercialise the education standards of the school. Rules and regulations around the institution change as experienced teachers are dismissed to reduce costs. Unable to accept the drastic changes in the job that she most loved, Vidya is dismissed from school and suffers a heart attack after which the school management cuts out all ties with her.
Driven by the sense of responsibility in guiding their students on the right path, Vidya and Jyoti decided to take on the board of misguided trustees. The pursuit ends up with Vidya and Jyoti taking on a show in a TV channel to remind its viewers that teachers need support, recognition and more pay.
Released in 2016, the movie was directed by Jayant Gilatar. The movie title is also an initiative by the IIT and IIM graduates, which tries to solve the issues in Indian education system by providing quality, accessible and affordable education. This is a must watch film for all educators whose desire is to address the rampant issues in education.
