UNIT

1 The longer read

If you can’t go to school,

the school comes to you!
In India, some children work to help their parents.
These children often work at railway stations. They
sell things to the people who travel on the trains. It
is difficult for them to go to school as they work
during the day. But, thanks to train platform schools,
these children can now get an education.
At train platform schools, the children don’t go to a school to study. A teacher comes to the train
station where they work. The children arrive at the train station very early in the morning and work
for a couple of hours. Then, at eight o’clock, they start school. They sit with their classmates and
the teacher on the platform and learn different subjects. Train platform schools are like traditional
schools in many ways. For example, the students at train platform schools study numeracy,
literacy and English, like in a traditional school. However, as well as reading, writing and maths,
they also study practical subjects. For example, they have lessons in nutrition and also how to
help people if they are ill. These subjects are useful for their home life. Students have lunch at
around 11:15 am, then the school day ends at midday. Students play games together before
they go back to work later in the afternoon.
Train platform schools are different to traditional schools in other ways too. For example, they
don’t have computers. If students want to know something, they have to ask the teacher or
look in a book. They can’t just log on and find the information on the internet. They don’t have a
library either – the teacher brings all the books with them. And there aren’t any school trips,
because it isn’t possible at the train platform
schools. Also, the teachers at train platform schools
are volunteers – they work for free.
The first train platform school opened in 1985. Now
there are many platform schools all over India with
thousands of students. The teachers who work there
believe that it is important for all children to have
an education. They believe that if a child can’t go to
school, then the school must come to the child.

Get Involved! A2 © Macmillan Education Limited 2021

 UNIT

1 The longer read

4 Write the phrases in the box in the table.

Subskill: Predicting from the title and
the pictures students work before and after school
teach numeracy and literacy
Think about how one or more of the have a library
pictures connect to the title. This will there are school trips
help you predict what is in the text. teachers don’t get money
have computers
the teacher comes to the students
1 Look at the two pictures and the title of the students have classmates
text. Answer the questions.
1 What country can you see in the pictures?
train traditional both
platform schools
2 What kind of place do you think this schools
school is at?

3 Why do you think the students can’t get

to school?

2 Now read the text and check your answers

to exercise 1.

3 Read the text again and put the events in

the correct order. Number them 1–6.
a The train platform school starts. 
b Students play games together.
c Students go back to work.
5 Word work Match the definitions to the
d The train platform school ends. underlined words in the text.
e Students arrive at the train station.
1 these teach you about real life
f Students start work for a couple
2 people who don’t get money for work
of hours.
3 the ability to read and write
4 the activity of learning subjects
5 the study of food and eating well
6 the ability to use numbers

6 Imagine you are at a train platform school.

Describe what you can see and hear
around you.
It’s very hot here. I can see lots of …    

Get Involved! A2 © Macmillan Education Limited 2021