Project Sangamam-Poondi

Improvements to Government Schools in Poondi Block, Thiruvallur Dist.
Asha Chennai Proposal – Year 2013-14

Modified July 20th 2013

 

 

Background:

Asha Chennai has been working with seven government primary schools in the Thiruvallur district under Project Sangamam-Poondi.

Thiruvallur is one of the poorer districts of Tamilnadu. It has always been a water scarce region. Proximity to Chennai has its positives as well as negatives. While a lot of people find employment in Chennai and auxiliary industries for Chennai (like brick kilns and sand quarrying), the local resources are taken away from the region including water in the form of Poondi reservoir, river sand, human workforce etc. All this has left the mainstay of this region agriculture in a bad situation.

The scenario as regards education in this district is similar to the rest of Tamilnadu. Government schools exist but with serious deficiencies. Private (read English medium) schools are coming up and eating into the student force of the government schools. But the private schools are often worse in terms of the quality of the teaching. Asha Chennai believes the revival and strengthening of the government schooling system is essential to the implementation of any mass education initiative in India.

Government has been progressively giving more funds to the education sector. This has also had a beneficial effect on these schools in our project. ABL has been implemented in all the schools. Infrastructure at all these schools has been improved. Recently laptops have been given to middle schools. However like in other measures by government these also end up as half-measures. Buildings are not made fully functional with required things like weathering course, electrical wiring and fittings, plumbing and water arrangement etc. Appropriate training and staff level to effectively use ABL and also materials like trays etc. are not provided. Training is not provided to the teachers to use the computers effectively at the schools. We are looking at plugging these holes.

Here is a brief timeline of the things that have been taking place at this project.

2004-05

Asha Chennai started the project with Panchayat Union Primary schools at Kuppammal Chathiram, Kanakavalli Puram and Pattarai Perambudur

2005-06

We also started supporting the school at Kunnavalam and the Balwadis at Kunnavalam and Kuppammal Chathiram.

2006-07

We extended our support to the schools at Placepalayam, Nemiliagaram and Pudhur and also the Balwadis at Nemiliagaram.

2007-08

We added support for the school at SSA-Korattur. We also added libraries in all these schools. These are still functioning well.

2009-10

We discontinued the support for Kanagavalli puram, Kunnavalam and Pudhur and in its place added support for T.B. Puram and Yelappanaidu Pettai. We stopped support at Kanagavalli puram, Kunnavalam and Pudhur because of several factors like lack of adequate support and since the number of government teacher were sufficient for the strength of the school. We provided computer labs at all the schools with computers that were donated for us by the company Inautix.

2011-12

We discontinued support for Nemiliagaram because the government started one more primary school in that area and each school was so small that one teacher could manage the number of students (less than 30 each). We also discontinued support at SSA Korattur since the government itself appointed a third teacher (for 80 students) and our teacher also stopped working because of marriage.

2012-13

We added support for the school at Allikuzhi and Thomur.

 

We are currently supporting Kuppammal Chathiram, Pattarai Perambudur, Placepalayam, T.B. Puram, Yelappanaidu Pettai, Thomur and Allikuzhi.

Locally the activities of the project has been coordinated by the project coordinator Srinivasan. We have further provided teachers to these schools. We have been continuing to improve the infrastructure at these schools. We also sponsored the annual day functions at all these schools.

In doing all these activities we have been happy to find a supportive and energetic set of teachers at these schools. The district and panchayat officials have also been very supportive.

 

Schools/Balwadis to be covered:

Kuppammal Chathiram School (from August 2004)

The primary school in Kuppammal Chathiram has 85 students and 3 government teachers. The school has adequate building space to comfortably seat the children. Asha is providing one teacher Deivanayagi to this school. The number of children at this school has been reducing over the years because of the presence of a English medium school right adjacent to this school. In the last two years the trend has started reversing.

Pattarai Perambuthur School (from Dec 2004)

This has 105 students and 4 teachers. This school has also seen a big drop in the number of children because of various factors including drop in the population of children in this area, joining convents in Thiruvallur and the closure of two brick kilns in the area which meant the children coming from there are no longer coming to the school. This trend has started reversing in the last two years.

Asha has been providing one teacher, Santha Sophya, to this school. The school was first chosen as one of the model schools for Activities Based Learning. This has now been adopted at all the schools we are supporting.

Placepalayam School (from Dec 2006)

The Panchayat Union Middle School at Placepalayam has been in existence since 1948. In 2012-13 thanks to the improvements we have done to the school, this has been converted into a high school. The high school (classes 6 to 10) and the primary school (classes 1 to 5) will function independently. The high school has 122 children and 6 teachers. The primary school has 65 children and two teachers of which one of the teacher is not effective because of health problems. We are proud to report that the students out teachers trained for a number of years have now performed very well in the 10th std board exams.

Asha is providing one teacher for the primary school. They would need one more teacher at this school. The primary school operated from a one new building which Asha helped in constructing and a couple of old buildings which we expect to be rebuilt by the government.

TB Puram School

The panchayat union middle school at T.B. Puram was one of the schools in the district with the highest student-teacher ratio. T.B.Puram is a remote area within the district. This is therefore one of the schools with persistent, teacher shortage. It is a middle school with about 230 students. It has a tamil medium middle school (200 children and 9 teachers) and a telugu medium primary school (30 children and 3 teachers). Asha has been providing one teacher for the school. However given the increase in the number of government teachers, we plan to withdraw support for the school.

Yelappa Naidu Pettai

The school has 61 children. It has three government teacher. We have provided one Asha teacher. We plan to withdraw support for the school since they have sufficient number of government teachers.

Thomur

This school has also been upgraded to become a high school last year. Once again the primary school and high school will function independently. The high school will have 120 children and 5 teachers. The primary school will have 55 children and 2 teachers. We will continue our involvement with the primary school. Our teacher was helping them with their computers. We will continue teaching computers to the high school children as well.

Allikuzhi

This is also a remote school in the same vicinity as Placepalayam and TB Puram. Being a remote school getting government teachers who would stay is a problem. The school has 70 children and three government teachers of which two are very new. Asha has been providing one teacher for the school who also helps with teaching computers at that school as well as T.B. Puram and Placepalayam.

Gandhigramam

The schools is situated in a tribal area. The primary school there has 44 children and 2 government teachers. The area is a very poor area and is badly in need of our support. The Balwadi in the village attached to the school has not been functioning. We hope to add support for this school and Balwadi. One teacher we provide would be able to manage both these roles. Our teacher from Yelappanaidu Pettai, Sathyavani will be able to go to this school.

Kachur

The school has 90 children and 3 teachers. They are in need of an additional teacher. Our teacher from T.B. Puram, Janova, would be able to work from Kachur.

 

Balwadis at Kuppammal Chathiram, Gandhigram, Allikuzhi and Thomur

These Balwadi are the feeder Balwadis for the respective schools. There are 25 students at each Balwadi with one teacher and two Ayahs. We provided some mats and play materials in 2006-07. We provided some sports materials, painted the Black boards and provided plates and tumblers to all the Balwadis. We need to provide some more materials to these Balwadis. All of them require electric connection/fittings and some sprucing up of the insides.

 

Other General Inputs From Asha

Asha Chennai has undertaken several projects with government schools. As part of these projects Asha Chennai provides several standard inputs including,

  1. One set of Uniforms for the students. The one set that the government gives is grossly inadequate for wearing every day for a year.
  2. Notebooks/Slate for the children.
  3. Other education material as appropriate for the class. This would range from crayons to atlases and geometry boxes.
  4. Computers and a library of books along with the required furniture for all the schools. Most of the expenses related to this are covered as part of other projects.
  5. Bring the teachers from these projects to Chennai for training. This would be covered under the budget for Project Rightstart.
  6. Trips by educationists from Chennai to these projects to monitor, provide onsite training and other inputs for the teachers in these schools.

Further this project being in a remote area would require a local coordinator and cannot be executed directly by the volunteers in Chennai. Srinivasan would perform the role of coordinator for the project would require a salary.

 


Financial Report for 2012 – 13

 

The following table identifies the allocated and actual expenses under various heads for the project in the year 2009-10.

 

SNo

Work Item (and what was executed)

Amount Budgeted

Amount Spent (approx)

1

Teachers’ salaries – We hired two teachers less than budgeted and since the teachers were hired during the course of the year, the entire money was not required.

Rs 5,22,300

Rs 356000

2

Coordinator’s salary

Rs 1,11,000

Rs 1,10,500

3

Infrastructure Repairs at the Sangamam Poondi schools and BalwadisScribble areas were repainted in the schools. Table/chairs at Allikuzhi, Thomur and Placepalayam. Water tank repair was carried out at TB Puram.

Rs. 77,500

Rs 61,000

4

Educational, reading and sports materials for the schools and Balwadis. Sports and learning/teaching materials were provided.

Rs. 1,14,000

Rs 82,000

6

School bags for Children from all schools. Tumblers and Plates for children. Mats for children to sit on. Other material for the schools.

Of these we provided mats, tumblers and plates. We did not provide school bags for children because of lack of funds.

Rs. 262,500

Rs 29,000

7

Admin Expenses

Office room rent/maintenance and materials – This exceeded the budget as we moved to a new office room which had to be renovated. We do not need to pay rent for the next year.

Miscellaneous Emergencies/Services

Documentation/Conveyance – Includes travel to Chennai by coordinator and teachers (for meetings and interviews)

Coordinator Vehicle Maintenance

 

Rs 27,500

 

 

 

Rs 10,000

Rs 15,000

 

 

Rs   5,000

 

Rs 37,000

 

 

 

 

Rs 8,500

 

 

Rs 5,000

 

8

Evaluation and training

Volunteer/Intern travel

 

No amount was spent in these categories.

Rs 25,000

Rs 10,000

 

9

School day functions at all the Sangamam Poondi schools.

Rs 60,000

Rs 45,000

 

Total Expense

Rs 12.38 Lakhs

Rs 7.34 Lakhs

 

 


Project Details and Estimates for Year June 2013 to May 2014

 

 

SNo

Work Description

Cost Details

Total Cost for Asha

Common Items

1

Additional teachers (Incl travel)

     Kuppammal ChathiramDeivanayagi -- Rs 3200

     Pattarai PerambudurSanthasophya -- Rs 4400

     Placepalayam -- Anita + 1 -- Rs 2775.

    Thomur - Gayathri -- Rs 3850

     AllikuzhiSandhya -- Rs 3775

     GandhigramamSathyavani  -- Rs 4075

     KachurJanova – 4400

Approx 8 * 3500 * 12 + 10 * 3000 (one month bonus)

Rs 366,000

2

Sailaja will be used as a general resource at all schools for computer training since she has PGDCA.

                            

Salary -- 4000, Conveyance -- 500

Approx 4500 * 12 + 3000

Rs 57,000

3

Tumblers and Plates (newly required at Gandhigram and Kachur). Some replacements, say a total of 150 would be required at other schools.

300 * Rs. 80

Rs 24,000

4

School bags for all children (Will be taken up upon funding availability).

900 * Rs 250

Rs 225,000

5

Educational materials

 

Geom. Instruments

Slates

Teachers kits

Trays

Colours

Atlases

 

Rs 80,000

6

Sports Materials

 

Plastic balls for younger children, Footballs for older children, Tennicoit rings, Skipping ropes, Snakes & Ladders, Ludo etc. board games

 

Rs 30,000

7

Evaluation and other training costs

 

Rs 25,000

8

Black board and scribble area repainting

25 * Rs 500

10 * Rs 1000

Rs 22,500

8

Volunteers/interns from Asha Chennai would need to make one trip a month for two days to the villages to monitor the work, retrain the teachers and report back to Asha.

Each trip would require the following,

Bus Fare + Local auto etc. – 500

Food – Rs 150.

Honorarium – Rs 600

 

We are assuming two people travel together for the above. There would be 8 trips during the project duration.

Rs 10,000

9

Coordinator Salary

Rs 9500 * 12 + 3000

Rs 117,000

10

Coordinator Vehicle Maintenance

Rs 5000

Rs 5000

11

Furniture for the office (note we are not paying rent this year)

 

Rs 20,000

13

Miscellaneous (emergencies, services, etc.)

Rs 10,000

Rs 10,000

14

School day and other school functions

 

Rs 60,000

15

Other Admin expenses (conveyance, documentation etc.)

 

Rs 15,000

Gandhigram and Kachur

22

Mats for children to sit on for all at these school and replacements at other schools.

150 * Rs 120

Rs 12,000

23

One bureau, two fans One Water drum and one stereo system for children use at each of these schools.

For each school (Rs 6000, Rs 4000, Rs 1000 and Rs 2500)

Rs 27,000

Balwadis

24

Play/Learning materials for the Balwadi.

For each Balwadi

 

Open shelves – Rs 2500

Other materials – Rs 7500

Rs 40,000

25

Painting of scribble area and one black board

4 * 1500

Rs 6,000

 

 

 

Fund Requirement/Schedule Summary

 

Total Project Funding Requirement                  Rs  11.56 Lakhs.