Education Program 2012-2013

Aflatoun Social and Financial Education Programme

(ToT), TRAINING OF TRAINER WORKSHOP

The training of trainers (TOT) program was organized for two days. The trainers (participants) of the program were the teachers of the schools and the CRCCs of Gossaigaon block and Dotma Block of Kokrajhar district. In training, Mr. Subrat Nayak from MelJol had imparted the orientation and training on Aflatoun programme, rules of aflatoun bank and opening of Aflatoun bank account in schools as well as in bank. The participants were also made clear about the concept of child rights according to UNCRC.

(TTW) TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP

Teacher training workshop was conducted in three blocks; Gossaigaon Block, Kachugaon Block and Dotma Block. The workshop was introduced with Aflatoun program and the principal of four child rights- i.e right to survival, right to protection, right to participation and right to development and five components of Aflatoun (personal understanding and exploration, rights & responsibilities, savings & spending, planning & budgeting and social entrepreneurship).

CLUSTER LEVEL CAMP

Various school level camps were organized at S.K. Jewery M.E School in collaboration with Khanthalguri L.P School and Chakma L.P School in Kokrajhar and Gossaigaon respectively. The students were engaged in a day long activities of singing Aflatoun songs, playing games and art crafts activities. They were taught to make flower décor out of plastic bottles paper bag and various kinds of art work from recycle materials. The program obtained the objective of creating awareness of hazardous effects of non biodegradable objects among young minds and to withhold their aura bright and hygienic.

ANNUAL EVENT (BAAL MELA)

Baal mela which was a very smack event was conducted on 29th & 30th of May at Amlaiguri under Kahugaon Block. Total of six schools participated with more than 130 students. Students were given opportunities to show their talents in this exclusive event.

Different activities were performed by the students like songs, dance, fun games, creating drama etc. apart from this students were engaged in data collection from the village and discussion on various topics like rights & responsibility, social entrepreneurship, financial entrepreneurship, savings & spending, color & craft .

STATE LEVEL AFLATOUN PROGRAMME (Culmination):

State level aflatoun programme was held on 29 June at Science College, Kokrajhar. The program was very successful and motivational for the students. A total of 230 students from 12 schools from remote villages participated in the event. This program gave them a platform to show case their talent. Students from every school came up with different performance like drama, dance, culture fashion show etc.

Dropout students from Amguri were also invited in the event to see the performances of the other children’s so that they get motivated to study, learn and participated in such activities. The main aim of this event was to give students a platform to interact, introduce and learn from each other.

Exposure Visit

Exposure visit was done by the children from Sapkata and Joharbil from Kachugaon block and from Bangaldoba, Kokrajhar Block. Total 45 students were present at exposure visit. The visit was done to SBI bank and Fine Arts and Music College in Kokrajhar district which was very beneficial to the students. The main purpose of this visit was to letting them know how the various institutions work.

“Child protection: Working with Displaced children for their protection.”

Since, last three years with generous support from UNICEF, NERSWN has been working in Kokrajhar district with displaced children who have been exploited from various issues like abuse, trafficking, violence, dropout, destitute and social care to create protective environment.

NERSWN has been running three drop in centre (DIC) in three different locations in the district with more than 850 children to support the inhabitant of the displaced population. Through DIC NERSWN teach children to write FIR, and minute of the meeting.

Efforts have been made to build the capacity of families, community and children themselves in order to enable to protect the children from all sorts of abuse and exploitation.

The team enrolled 23 drop out children in RSTC and 55 never enrolled children at Jhawarbil local school. Total seven adolescence club and eight children club have been formed from three DIC.

Workshop

Three days IEC workshop was organized with activity on cartoon painting involving the children of three DIC. The main motto was “Short story making”. Mr. Ambrit Basumatary (cartoonist) from Guwahati was invited as a resource person for the program.

BTC level consultation programme

BTC level consultation on child protection and rights program was organized on 11th June 2012, at BTC conference hall, Kokrajhar in presence of Mr. Dines Boro, Joint Secretary of BTC, Principal Secretary Mr. M Ch. Sahu, and UNICEF representative Mr. Ved Prakash, member of ASCPCR and Member of ABSU.

Block level training

Block level training on child protection was conducted on 14th October 2012 at Gosaigaon Marowari Bhavan with ASHA and ANM. In this programme Miss Garge Patwary from Guwahati was invited as a resource person.

Exposure visit

Total two exposure trips have been made from three DIC in different importance places in Kokrajhar district i.e, Central Institute of Technology(CIT), Bodoland University, Secretariat House, Dwimalu Eco park, Don Bosco Institute, Alaiyaron Anath Asrom, Bineswar Brahma Engineering College, Bodoland movement martyrs cemetery, DC office and Diplai Beel.

Trafficking

Several trafficking case have been reported and FIR submitted against those cases to their respective police station. It is appreciable that NERSWN team had put a great effort in trafficking case and could recover victims of trafficking cases last year. Among them Miss Fulmuti Kujur, Mr. Andrius Lakra and Miss Prathna Murmu were rescued.

Rights and Justice

This program started from April 2009 for the IDP in Supkata relief camp to support them in restoring a peaceful life.

In 2011, the relief camp was officially cleared after the government declared a package of Rs. 50,000 for each family, stopping further relief support. The families are resettled in their old village. However, most of them lost their own land due to conflict. Around 60 families are now permanently settled in the previous camp site and have renamed that place as Hirlagar village. Some 15 families are settled in nearby Sapkata market, and have named the village as ‘Baganpara’. The largest number of family shifted from Supkata relief camp to settle at Jhawarbil, which was a forest area.

Under this project Nerswn had been working mostly with the IDP in Supkata and Jhawarbil. The project goal being, a dignified and peaceful living of the displaced population in Kokrajhar, NERSWN had been involved since then to achieve its target.

OBJECTIVES-�

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  • To ensure basic formal and non formal education to children and adults of Sapkata and Jhawarbil area.
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  • To promote the ideas of peaceful co-existence through organizing community leaders interaction and cultural exchange program.
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  • To promote the community leaders through organizing workshop and exposure trips.

The children of Hirlagar and Baganpara villages got enrolled at Sapkhata government school. However, Jhawarbil being more remote, had no access to school. NERSWN supported a school, named ‘Suluk Gwjwn Vidhalaya’ in Jhawarbil.

Last year 248 students were enrolled in the school which has increased to 325 children and five teachers doing as volunteers in 2012. In last SMC meeting the decision was made to make it a government registered school. However, the head master who was very dedicated had expired due to stroke last year in December, 2012.

Activities Conducted

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  • Support in functioning the school at Jhawarbil whenever necessary is given by NERSWN. The school is donated to the village and is maintained by the villagers themselves.
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  • Collaboration with others program like Child Protection team in adult education, vocational training for youths, and workshop on effective leaders and with livelihood program like-exposure visits for community leaders was made.
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  • A cultural exchange cum-leaders interaction program was conducted at Habrubil Bodo Sahitya Sabha community hall on 11th January. Diverse community cultural groups participated from various areas like- Bodo Harimu Afat from Gossaigaon, Koch Rajbongshi dance group from Gossaigaon, Assamese Bihu dance group from Gossaigaon, Nepali dance group from Kochugaon, Rabha cultural dance group from Kochugaon and Santali cultural group from Supkata. Representatives of various organizations took part in the program. Some of the local organizations that participated were- AASAA, AABWWF, ABSU, NERSWN, Bodo Writers Academy and The ANT. Few national organizations that made presence were- SELL, My Fact, TISS, UNNATI, ODRC. Besides this, there were other influential individual from various background who came forward to work for peace and support it.
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  • An initiative for land and vote transfer was made after demands were made by the villagers. Representatives from village along with Nerswn met VCDC (village council development committee) chairman at Hirlagar DIC and took the work forward. The land in Hirlagar village is already allotted in the name of sub-centre and vatnary department. Consultation with land E.M. of BTC is going on as of now. For the vote transfer, consultation with the election officer of Gossaigaon sub-division was made. Voter transfer forms had been filled and submitted which is the first step.
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  • Jhawarbil and Baganpara area fall under the forest land which is under DFO of Kochugaon. The earlier DFO and SDO together visited once and discussed about all kinds of issues and problems and showed much interest. After that several discussion with DFO and SDO (civil) offices, plans to make it forest village and provide them basic needs were under taken by the department. However the villagers were told to leave land one hundred meters away from the Songkosh River. Unfortunately, the DFO got transferred and the new DFO has shown less interest to take earlier plans forward.

The team of NERSWN started the work in Kokrajhar district with the purpose to enlightening the general people about RTE Act, 2009, ensuring basic education and protection of the children. Besides the efforts to understand the situation in the villages, interactive meetings were organized to create awareness about different Acts, Schemes and Programs meant for the villagers especially for the children. These meetings were organized in total of 48 villages. For effective delivery, along the process various stakeholders were involved, like children, parents, teachers, SMCc, ASHA, ANM, AWW and various heads in education department.

Facilitating SMC Meeting: The series of village level meetings have evidenced a lot of issues including the lack of understanding of SMC members on their role and responsibilities. Through the meetings, the team could find out issues not only in education, but other gaps like absence of communication among stakeholders. This situation has lead to the inappropriate utilization of resources in the grass root level. In this regard, the team has mobilized and facilitated cluster wise SMC meetings in villages where attempt have been made to resolve some of the disputes arising within SMCs like regularity of teachers in the classes, Mid Day Meals (MDM), getting sufficient teachers etc.

Workshop for Strengthening SMCs: Three block level workshop on strengthening SMCs i.e at Nayekgaon Choraikhola and Gongia have been conducted to discuss on the above issues in the last week of June, 2012. The workshops have been organized by NERSWN and Education department itself. Total 60 villages participated in the meeting. Besides putting up the normal responsibility of SMCs and RTI, issues like disability and Social Audit was taken up.

Advocating for Enrolling the never Enrolled Children:

It is a matter of fact that, the data of children not enrolled in school being maintained by the Education department in Kokrajhar district, i.e (3039) is less than what we find in the villages. Many children drop out after they pass primary school education. The rate is rather more in the areas where there is no access for ME schools.

As an initiative to tackle the same the team has been constantly advocating for the enrollment of the never enrolled students and also helping them in getting enrolled. Two children from Kudigaon village were enrolled in the nearby RSTC at Gambaribill. The team admitted six children in Tipkai RSTC from Amguri, Anujuli and Koltonpara villages under the jurisdiction of Kokrajhar Block and another six children were admitted in Balagaon RSTC who was from Nayekgaon.

Lobbying and Advocating with CRCCs, BEEOs and District Level Official: The team has kept the dialogue in continue with all the concern officials of all level regarding MDM, irregularity of teacher in class, disable student, single teacher school etc.

Some of the issues of village schools that rose out from survey and through various activities:

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  • The mid-day meals are not regular in the schools, which are not more than 8-10 days in a month. Some of them have even pointed out of some technical problems with the department while disbursing money and grains for the MDM.
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  • Most of the SMCs are not formed according to the guidelines issued for the purpose. Some SMCs have been formed by the department in their presence which does not seem democratic as reported by them. Out of total 52 SMCs of our intervention, hardly 12 SMCs members knew their responsibility.
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  • The shortage of the teachers in the schools are again mostly repeated issues which have directly affected the transaction in large. Many of the SMCs have reported irregularity of classes in the schools due to that kind of acute shortage.
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  • Head Teachers who are also the member secretary of the SMC often do not give importance to the president and use to keep all secrets with themselves which make the members feel useless though they are constitutionally formed bodies.
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  • Many of the SMCs are aware of their powers and functions, but practically nothing happens according to their view.
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  • The issues of ICDS centers are frequently asked questions and some of them are now even fed up to raise questions on that. None of the guidelines is followed by the centers and of course, the department also held responsible for prevailing situation, they added.
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  • The issues of the school uniforms to be provided seem to be very critical since these are now going to be given to the contractors. Questions arises, what will be the quality and where is the role of SMC lies in it?
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  • The workshop held in Kachugaon block came out with a resolution to sit once with all the teachers/member secretaries to clarify many of the matters relating to all management of the schools.

Cluster level teachers meet program: In two clusters this program was organized, one is in Ballimary cluster and another is in North Gongia cluster. The program was organized to know and redress the issues in the smooth functioning of schools by the teachers abiding the norms and rules of RTE.

Workshop for ASHA, ANM & AWW: A cluster wise workshop of service holder for ASHA, ANM & AWW had been organized at Choraikhola, Nayekgaon, Ballimary and Mainagury( Barlimary). Those four workshops had been organized to focus the RTE as well as to enlighten them about their responsibilities so as they can serve for the children. They were trained how to deal with the children and how they can perform their duties. The following points were discussed in the workshop.

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  • AWW should know their duties. They will perform pre- school education, i.e. they care for bellow five years children and cater nutritious food.
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  • ASHA & ANM should come regularly in sub-centers, care for children, pregnant mothers and provide free medicines. They will visit to village schools sometimes and teach about health care and cleanliness.
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  • They can fully support in the implementation of RTE, quality education and joyful education.

They can hold healthcare campaign in the schools and villages.

Legal actions:

The team had written to the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) mentioning about the various corners of child rights violation in some of the schools of both Kachugaon and Kokrajhar block. The inquiry into the matter took a volatile shape amongst the teachers against whom the reports were written. The team faced a lot of such challenges to bring out many of the hidden realities and even the mysteries behind the total scenario of education across the district.

The Outcome of the activity:

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  • The villagers became more aware on the provisions of the Right to education Act-2009 and even questioned to the teachers on some of the matters that are not done in the schools.
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  • Some of the teachers have even confessed their mistakes and requested for the cooperation from the villagers.
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  • The members of the SMC knew more about the roles and responsibility that they have.
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  • Knowing their responsibility helped them identify some of the things that have not been done since long; eg, guidelines for the Mid Day Meal (MDM), honorarium for the cooks, amount against the uniform for the children, guidelines for the ICDS workers and their responsibilities, and so on.
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  • Timely discussion with the department of education, have made them aware of the roles of the NGO and they advanced for the support in carrying out the activity in collaboration.
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  • The before scenario of the MDM improved much particularly in regularity though not in quality.
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  • The communities have decided to engage volunteers in the schools where the teachers are single and also not regular. After getting the same information the department has agreed to support the volunteers.
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  • The constant interactions with the children have increases the enthusiasm to form clubs and work on issues. But the clubs are not yet formed.
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  • The report made to the ASCPCR (Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights) created a tension among the teachers but also spread the message about the punishment against the violation of the child rights.