These days and weeks, I spend my days and most evenings typing like a typist on speed, belatedly transcribing all my notes and interviews from the past three months. My fingers hurt. Particularly the third one on the left hand. Perhaps there are too many s's in the English language. I have transcribed two-thirds of my Indian notebooks and typed 31, 568 words. Excellent. That's a third of the book length. Anyway today's eight hours of typing included this schedule from the Mohendra Taneya Ashram School for tribal children in Orissa. I copied it down because it's astonishing, because it makes Gordonstoun look like sissy camp and because I'm planning to send a copy to Hackney Learning Trust with a recommendation that it be implemented immediately. Especially the yoga and the clearing of doubts. Cleaning toilets at 5.30am without breakfast? No wonder India is booming.
4am: wake-up bell
4.01am: prayer reading
5.30am: cleaning (including toilet blocks)
6.30am: exercise drill
7-8am: morning group class (maths)
8-8.30am: bath
8.30-9am: breakfast
9.15am: prayer (common; neither Hindu nor Christian)
9.30–12.45: classes
12.45–13.45: lunch
13.45–14.45: classes, 2nd session
15.45–16.45: garden work
16.45–17.30: games
17.30–18.00: yoga
18.00-18.30: prayer
18.30-20.30: evening group class (”where they clear up their doubts”)
20,30-21.30: dinner
21.30-22.00: health check
22.00: bed
Sunday is a holiday but that's when children clean their own clothes.