But Iftekhar Ahsan and Shahira chose a different path for their 12-year-old twins, Isa and Sheherazad. For many parents, raising children means making sure they attend school, complete their homework, prepare for exams and keep up with their classmates. The Kolkata-based parents decided not to send their children to a conventional school, choosing instead to educate them through everyday experiences, travel, sports and the internet. Their approach, known as unschooling, places greater emphasis on a child’s interests and real-world learning rather than following a fixed school curriculum. The twins have never attended school, but their parents say they are learning subjects such as mathematics, science, languages and history through activities they enjoy and experiences they encounter.
“We take unnecessary pressure on us, and we give that pressure to our children that is absolutely not needed,” he said. Beyond his own children’s education, Ahsan has a message for other parents who feel the pressure to ensure that their children keep up with academic expectations. He believes that stress can affect children’s well-being and that parents should think carefully about the expectations they place on them. His advice is not to ignore education but to question whether constant pressure is always necessary for children to learn and develop.
For Isa and Sheherazad, learning does not depend on sitting at a desk for several hours a day. Their parents use activities and experiences to introduce them to different subjects. Cricket, for example, can become a way to understand mathematics. Keeping score, calculating runs and following match statistics can help children engage with numbers in a familiar setting. Travel plays a role in teaching history and geography. By visiting different places in India and abroad, the twins can encounter cultures, landmarks and locations beyond what they might see in a textbook. The internet is another important learning resource, particularly for science and general knowledge. The children also learn languages, including English and Bengali grammar, and reportedly speak Marwari. Their routine does not include the usual school uniform, daily bus journey or conventional homework schedule. Instead, their parents aim to connect learning with the world around them. This approach reflects the idea that children can develop knowledge through curiosity, observation and practical experiences. However, unschooling can look different from one family to another, and the learning opportunities available depend on the parents’ time, resources and ability to support their children’s education.