Education
Education Interventions: 2012-13
Marang Buru Groups of Schools
The Village Education Centers at Kendrabonathal, Hanspahari and Shiulibona have now been named “Marang Buru Group of Schools”.
Basic infrastructure has been provided by development of school campus in all the villages on a piece of land donated by the village.
Education provided is based on the syllabus of West Bengal Primary Board.
Mid-day meal is provided to the students of Marang Buru School and nutritious tiffin is provided for the students of other two schools which is prepared by the mothers grouped into self help groups.
Each of the schools is managed by four teachers.
Like every year the days of national importance were celebrated in each of the schools to help students gain knowledge about history and heritage of the nation.
Annual Sports and annual picnic was held on 24th December, 2012 involving the students of all the three schools. Sports was held in the footbal l ground adjacent to Marang Buru School , Kendrabonathol and annual picnic was held in the forest fringed areas around village Kendrabonathol.
On World Literacy Day exercise books, drawing books and color box was distributed to the students by Rotary Club of Calcutta Uptown. The same club also distributed mosquito nets to all the fifty students of the school in Kendrabonathol with an aim to fight malaria.
The students of Shamayita Convent School organized “Sharad Baran” a day for distributing new set of dress, school bags, stationeries and slippers to the students of two of the school, of Hanspahari and Kendrabonathol on the occasion of Durgapuja on 17th October, 2012. A cultural program was organized by the students of Shamayita Convent School before distribution of the new dress for entertaining the students of village schools.
Sharad Baran at the school-
Erika Balzerelli, a lady from Singapore passionate to work for the welfare of the rural children and motivated by the ideology of the organization spent Diwali with the students of these village schools. Diwali was celebrated on 12th November, 2012 in village Shiulibona. The students from Hanspahari and Kendrabonathol schools gathered in Shiulibona. Woollen sweaters and woolen cap was distributed to every student The school campus was lit with candles, lamps and crackers by the students. Beautiful and rare fireworks were organized for the students, who enjoyed to the brim as this was their first exposure to the fireworks.
The interventions have revealed an improvement in interest to come to school regularly apart from academic development of target children. Average attendance is 70% in each school. There has been an improvement in sense of hygiene, cleanliness development of healthy habits and morality among children. Also a positive attitude is developed among students, parents and other village households. As per 'Right to Education Act', every child goes to school at the age of five with zero drop-out in target villages.
Proper nutrition is provided to the students and there is no malnourished student in each of the schools. Any ailment is taken care of and treated by doctors from organization. Regular health monitored through health check up camps conducted by Jeevansurya hospital.
Here is the Health checkup of children going on at one of the Marang Buru Schools:
Meals are served to the children everyday for better nutrition. Meals are prepared at the sachoo premises by the vilage women.
Shamayita Convent School
The school is the only residential girls school in the entire district. 'Educating & empowering the girls from the backward community so that they can face life's challenge equally as the urban girls'- is the object of education. The school affiliated to CBSE has 600 girls from Class KG-I to Class-XII out of which 300 are residential. Located in the lap of nature, with immense open space, equipped with science, mathematics and computer laboratories, library and other amenities and facilities the school imparts education using modern technology.
The school building:
Events : In addition to the regular events like celebration of annual day, celebrated on 18th July , 2012 (the foundation day of the school), annual sports , annual exhibition, competitions in painting, dance, music, recitation, quiz and elocution, -“Kriti Ashirwad” - the award giving ceremony for the meritorious students and scholarship -“Dhimohi” for the poor meritorious students was the beginning of a new era for the students of Shamayita Convent School.
Dance Program by the students on the Annual day at the school:
Annual exhibition at the school:
48 students of standard X and 33 Students of standard XII successfully completed CBSE board examination. Out of these 18 students of Std X and 3 students of Std XII received the award- Kriti Ashirwad for getting distinction. Two students belonging to underprivileged sector from local government school received the Dhimohi scholarship. Each of the selected students was graced and received the award from the Founder President- Sri Sri Prabhuji on 25th August, 2013 in a function organized in school for the purpose.
'Asha for education, USA'- provided support for education of 13 residential tribal students. Also support was provided for engaging an expert science teacher from the fund provided by the funding partner-Asha for education.
With an objective of developing leadership skills, personal integrity, understanding the value of responsibility and hard work, some of the students of class IX and X formed an Interact Club sponsored by Rotary Club of Calcutta Uptown. The club was formed on 26.12.2012. The members celebrated Christmas with the students of Marang Buru Primary School, in Shiulibona where they entertained the students with cultural program and distribution of snacks. The fund raising for the program was done through exhibition cum sale of New Year Greeting cards. Also woolen blankets were distributed to 100 poor and distressed families by the interact members.
Program on Differently abled Children
Shamayita Math is being developed as Zonal Training Agency in the district of Bankura for extending services to the specially abled children under a project from Paul Hamlyn Foundation (UK). Under the project, Regional Resource Centre for Disability Management is to be developed in rural areas of - Bankura, Malda and Hooghly in West Bengal with the support of Indian Institute of Cerebra l Palsy (IICP) , Kolkata which is the Regional Resource Centre . This project is for a period of three years from April 2012 to March 2015 with a provision for extension subject to approval of the funding agency.
Objectives of the Program
The aim of the project is to enhance services for persons with disabilities in rural areas by developing zonal training agencies.
· To extend training capacities so that Shamayita Math may assume the status of 'zonal' training agency specifically to benefit persons with disabilities in rural areas by working in partnership andproviding training for trainers.
· To train staff / master trainers, other NGOs and community workers so that they develop knowledge, skills and positive attitudes in prioritized areas of learning so that they can provide services for people with disabilities in the rural areas.
· To develop need based training materials.
· To facilitate the trainers to transfer this training to field staff in their own organizations and other organizations working in the district or neighboring states leading to increased service delivery to disabled persons in rural areas.
· To demonstrate strategies so that disability management is brought into the mainstream of all initiatives for community development.
· To empower persons with disabilities, their families and women using local resources within the community and establish links for referral services.
Assesment of differently abled children at villages:
Interventions
· A core team of 5 staff and 2 volunteers are involved with PHF project activities. One special educator visits the sites with a social worker thrice a week. Project coordinator with staff and volunteers visit the community once or twice a week.
· 4 staff and 2 volunteers provide services comprising working in Monodeep, school for differently abled children of Shamayita Math, visits home, local school and ICDS centers. They work on rotation basis in Monodeep as well as in the community.
· A training programme was held in the campus and conducted by IICP, Kolkata from 19th-21st Sept'12 , which was conducted by Mr. M. B. Chhetri and Mrs. Purba Bose of IICP Kolkata. No. of participants were 15 consisting of Shamayita Math's Health workers, Special Educator, Gram Panchayet ICDS facilitator , and Agriculture field worker.
· Evaluation was conducted by Mr. Tapan Muhuri , CBR Project coordinator , IICP Kolkata from 18th to 20th March who visited few villages with Project co-ordinator, special educator and field workers. He demonstrated few specific skills for handling adults with Cerebral Palsy.
Outcomes
Under the project 14 rural health workers mostly women have been identified who are already involved in Shamayita Math's various health programmes in remote villages. Shamayita Math through its sister organization Shamayita Monodeep runs a special school but this project has provided the opportunity to ensure quality service at the community level. Present project area includes villages in Gangajalghati Panchayat only.
· Initially we collected data of around 75 persons with disabilities from ICDS workers. Out of them need assessments for 34 children and adults with various kinds of disabilities have been done and programs have been initiated through home visits at regular intervals.
· 14 children and adults with disability received disability certificates.
· 2 children admitted in two different special schools (one is Shamayita Monodeep run by Shamayita Math ).
· 3 Children with disability are now attending normal school.
· 4 children and 3 parents received medical support through Shamayita Math run hospital Shamayita Jeevan Surya.
A class session at Monodeep in progress:
Supportive Education in Chattisgarh
Objectives
Morning session supplementary education before regular curriculum of State Government to supplement over the inadequacies of tribal children in learning two basic subjects i.e., Hindi and Mathematics In Anganwadi centres , the kids of age 3-6 years are given adequate inputs for pre-school learning so that they can overcome difficulties in school admission in primary level . Provision of nutritious tiffin supplement for the school students and anganwadi children are also included in this program.
Intervention
Supportive education is implemented in 60 Primary & 02 Middle Schools covering 1685 students and 49 anganwadi centres covering 739 children. The supporting team comprises of 69 teachers/tutors and 49 anganwadi support teachers whose role has been vital in the students' families. They are on one hand teachers motivating the students to come to school regularly, providing education and assessing the students' progress, interacting with Govt teachers for betterment of students and on the other hand mentors for the parents doing family level counseling, so that they provide necessary support to their children to continue with their education. Also the teachers keep a track of the students who pass Std. V and do regular follow up and facilitate them to take admission in Std. VI Regular health check- up of the students as also an integral part of the project.
Creative output of the stiudents at the schools:
Outcomes
· Decrease dropout rate among school going children
· Improvement in learning level of students.
· Decrease in malnutrition among the children
· Attendance has been recorded from min 62% to max 77%
· Better awareness noticed among the parents. Shift in trend from dropping out of school after completing primary level education, to increased instances of continuing education by seeking admission in Govt. middle schools. There are instances of students taking admission in English medium schools of the locality.
