Vidyankura

VO1 –( child with mother in a toy shop) This is Ekta, who is selecting a doll as her prize for doing well in her primary school exams. Ekta’s mother Tripti is very proud of her daughter and also hopeful that, unlike her, her daughter will have access to quality education and consequently, a bright future.

Bite- Ekta-  I never used to like going to school earlier, but now my teachers have shown me how lessons can be fun.

VO2-Ekta’s newfound interest in her studies is thanks to Project Vidyankura, literally, education seedling started in 2003  in Chamrajnagar district of  Karnataka, which was plagued with low literacy and poor educational facilities and had no government agency to oversee the state of its education. These factors prompted the inception of  Project Vidyankura in this area.

Also known as the District Quality Education Project, this brainchild of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, facilitates comprehensive child centred primary education to children.

Vo3 – The programme is divided into distinct components each with a clearly defined but interrelated agenda. The uniqueness of this programme lies in the fact that rather than setting up a replicable model, the Project works with key stakeholders within the existing system and available state education infrastructure to enable improvements in the system. This helps to understand the key issues, examine the working constraints and evolve sustainable solutions in partnership with the collaborators. The key players are the Block and Cluster Resource Centres, District Institute of Education and Training, the State Education Department, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the Tribal Welfare Department.

Bite Interview with Mr Chidre Shankar Swami, DSERT Director.-

 Unlike other programs done by NGOs, this Project has made an effort to understand the functioning of a bureaucratic setup and help us to become up to date with new methodologies, focused and motivated.

VO4- The seeds of Viyankura were sown in July 2002, when the NIAS was supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust to develop and pilot a district-wide intervention to enhance the quality of elementary education in the district. A baseline study conducted in 36 schools in 24 sites across the district revealed:

• Incompetence and lack of motivation in teachers and education administrators,
• Declining learning levels among children leading to an increase in the drop out rate,
• Severe underperformance in language tests, with more than 30% of the children performed below the minimum expected standard in grade VII
• Despite the fact that parents had a high demand for education, they lacked the competence to contribute to schools and children’s education

VO5: Phase II of the Project, operationalised in December 2003, spread over 4 years has 4 components:

• (visual-School scene) The first is the School and Community Contact Programme (SCCP)which evolved to bridge the gap between the community, parents and the educational institutions so that parents have a participative approach to their children’s learning. Teachers, trainers and parents partner to understand the gaps in effective teaching and learning and work out suitable changes.

 Maddaiyani Hundi School is an example of a  beneficiary school 

Bite of parent: Now, We come to the school regularly for meeting the headmaster. Have already seen an improvement in my child.  Earlier he used to write well but could not read. Earlier he and we used to neglect homework. But now we take an active interest.

VO6The School Development Monitoring Committee, an institution that earlier existed merely on paper, has been effectively revived. Parents and the community, members of the SDMC, now realize that they are active stakeholders in the school’s progress and participate in monitoring activities.

Bite of Veeraianpura: Interview of SDMC member (School Development monitoring Committee) Mr Shivanayak (parent)

 Earlier since we were slack and ignorant there were a lot of loopholes in the system- for eg if there was a sanction to make a school toilet and we were asked to sign, we would just do it blindly, without checking where how much money is going exactly –  now since we have become alert it has totally removed middlemen from the scene.

• ( Scene of Community interaction- discussion using handbook)leading to VO-

Vo7A recent initiative to enhance retention of children in school, especially of girls from tribal and Adivasi communities as been well received. An ongoing action research exercise with the Uppara youth and leaders is helping them advocate education for children, and prevent early marriages.

Vo8-  Interestingly, the experiences of the community contact programme have led to the publication of a handbook, Sethu (meaning bridge) developed for the community and parents. Its popularity is evident from the fact that it is being used as a vital resource by several local NGOs to reach out to local communities, and encourage them to send their children to school.

Bite  Community member: The handbook answers common questions in our minds such as – what is the use of education?, Can we get a livelihood after school?, Why girls should be educated?, We need to pay higher dowry if the girl is educated., We are illiterates, how can we monitor/ assess our child’s education?

VO9-In 3 years the SCCP has reached out to 28 schools and communities, approximately 65 teachers, 10 Cluster Resource Personnel (CRPs), 900-1000 children, and 90-100 adolescents. 120 elected representatives have also benefited.

Audio break of 5 secs at a workshop…..

VO10- This workshop at the Block Resource Centre, Gundlepet, is part of the Integrated Cluster and Block Resource Development. It strengthens the existing district institutions that have the maximum impact on schools. Current activities focus on the development of master resource persons in specific subject areas like English, Mathematics and Kannada so that this trained personnel can train others at the cluster and block levels, in a resource-rich, enabling environment. Contributing to this venture are the Regional Institute of Education, Mysore and the Promise Foundation which have provided their key personnel as consultants and also given valuable resource material. Teachers have been prompted to re-examine outdated methods of teaching and are now using new tools and methodologies evolved through NIAS interventions

Earlier a standard Kannada class would look and feel like this:

Audio break

Whereas now, the classroom atmosphere is interactive, engaging and inspiring- another audio break  

• Bite-teacher- Earlier we did not know any of these progressive methods of teaching- “We were not serious about our work. We were not teaching new methods. But now we are changing because there are regular checks. Even the parents are showing much more interest. Attendance has increased and is even more regular. Students are much more actively participating in classes.

Bite: Block Education Officer (BEO), Gundlupet – Our members have benefited greatly –acquiring multiple skills – field research, observing classrooms, acting as mentors to teachers, mobilizing and orienting parents, and engaging with children as teachers.

Vo11 Language and curriculum development – The existing material is reviewed and revised and teacher training inputs are assimilated with in-service and pre-service training. The current focus is on developing a graded curriculum for Kannada. The focus is on tribal schools, ashram shalas and the 16 schools under the education department. Translated material is also being developed for Cluster and block Resource Persona as well as teachers.

Currently, Self Access language Cards have been developed for multi-grade classrooms where children are deprived of attention for long hours. The content and orientation of the cards draw on the everyday and cultural worlds of a typical 6-10-year-old rural child in Karnataka.

VO12 Another handbook, part of the programme of ‘art in education’, is focussing on developing a resource bank and training teachers in innovative and creative ways. New practices introduced by many of the teachers who have undergone this programme demonstrate that art activities in schools can alter children’s educational experiences and make for a dynamic, colourful, classroom

Bite of Jane and Roshan Sahi – On their rationale.

Headmaster Interview Mr H S Rama Rao, DIET principal, Chamarajanagar district.

 Earlier, we did not have good teaching materials. We were simply passing off the same stuff year after year. But now the curriculum is being constantly adapted and updated and we have to keep ourselves abreast with the changes. Regular monitoring ensures this. Even the parents are showing much more interest. Attendance has increased and is even more regular. Students are much more actively participating in classes. Teaching has become a welcome challenge

VO13  This is the NIAS data processing faculty, involved with Material Development, Documentation and Monitoring: Even as the new material is developed and shared. Teachers are trained and mentored during school visits as well as training follow-ups. A concerted effort is made to have a non-inspectorial interactive stance during monitoring. Many programmes such as the midday meal and the EduSat have been documented.  Some reports have even been submitted to the state government.

Vo14 – The past three years have been a time for trying to evolve a self-sustaining dynamic system of learning that fosters growth in students, teachers and trainers alike. Some notable programme achievements are :

Development of a multi-pronged approach to education which involves not only the  department functionaries and teachers but also parents and  community members

• Development of revised ‘School Visit Reports’ for effective monitoring and observations. by DIET faculties.

• A formalisation of DIET-NIAS collaboration by the State govt

• Revision of Annual Action plan of DIET(chamarajnagar) to bring in district-specific focus.

• The first of its kind Collaboration Coordination Committee (CCC) set up to monitor DIET-NIAS collaboration.

• Active involvement in the analysis of Karnataka State Quality Assessment Organisation results at Chamarajnagar.  Preparation of a  block-level and district level Action plan.

Govt official- Mr TM Vijay Bhaskar, Secretary, Primary & Secondary Education, Govt. of Karnataka – Our learnings are constantly evolving –What we thought was important yesterday may not hold true today – so the programme accommodates these changes We are very fortunate to have these valuable inputs and our education department, as well as the community, has benefited greatly

Vo15- A realistic experiential model, Vidyankura has found that it’s goals and yardsticks for assessment have changed since it’s inception. Working within an existing system has also presented unique challenges, some of which have been dealt with successfully while others have not met with as much success as earlier anticipated.

 R.Vasavi Bite on Key challenges and hurdles

VO16- The NIAS continues to find answers to questions like what role can a school play in the life of a community and in the life of children? what are the elements that comprise quality education, and is there a fixed parameter for assessment of success – giving parents like her the reassurance that their children’s best interests will be the central concern. 

• End bite- Ekta’s mother: “Earlier we used to force our kids to go to school, now they push us to keep their breakfast ready on time! Now they leave by 8:30 am even though the school bell rings at 9:45 am”

(visuals of  Ekta and small kids playing in the park, a mother waiting for her – she goes and holds the mother’s hand and both walk away).