Concerns and questions

 

Major concerns as the group had:

1.      Since Asha does not have the bandwidth to fund the complete proposal, how effective do you think partial funding (as in funding just the 3 schools and their educational expenses, minimising overheads and administrative expenses) would be with respect to the core plan?

Since the running of the schools is the most important component of the core plan and also the biggest part in terms of funds needed as well as number of workers involved, it will be a great contribution and very helpful in the whole venture.

2.      And what are the other sources that Digantar is currently looking to get further funding?

For schools we will apply

For schools we will submit a proposal to the Ministry of HRD as well. But it seems the ministry has an upper limit of Rs.3000/- per child per year and therefore may not accept it. If it does, we will utilise ASHA funds only as ‘part funds’ to meet the gap between the submitted budget and sanctioned amount. The remaining funds ASHA can use for other projects. But I have serious doubts about the Ministry accepting any part of our proposal.

We have submitted a proposal for developing art curriculum and TLM to India Art Foundation, Bangalore. The initial discussions were encouraging. But this will be a small project concentrating on art in primary education – its place, its curriculum, material to be used in classroom and pedagogy.

Have no idea where to get funds for VIMARSH. Exploring possibilities.

The new school is supposed to be an income generating activity in addition to being an off-beat (for NGOs, that is) educational activity. Therefore, I am not at all sure where to look for funds. We (that is, me and Reena) are trying convincing the President of Digantar Mr. J. P. Singh to make that amount  available, may be as a loan to Digantar.

Current Schools:

1.      Teachers training: Is it only for the teachers of the three schools or others also? If yes, how many teachers? Do they pay for the training? And what is the typical procedure in this case? How effective has this been in the last few years? Does this help in income generation?

The Training and Staff development head in the budget is to cover training of the new teachers, various workshops – we have two workshops for Digantar teachers every year, and educational visits by teachers to other schools working in the field of alternative pedagogy.

Workshops are essential for Digantar’s well functioning, but educational visits so far have not been very enlightening. Perhaps we will have to develop a system of learning from expository visits, but they certainly give teachers a feeling of the larger fraternity involved in pedagogical improvement efforts.

Training here is not meant for outsiders. Our involvement with teachers from other organisations/programmes is of two kinds. With NGOs – Ibtada, Alwar; Vikalp, Rohatak; BGBS Haryana, Samalkha block, and URMUL, Lunkaransar, still continues – it is a voluntary effort and does not generate any income. With other programmes which can pay – for example, Janasala run by MHRD during the year 2000-2001 – does generate income. But not enough to maintain a faculty, therefore, runs in rough weather when a large programme to support a faculty is not running.

2.      What is the role of the programs coordinator for the schools?

Programme coordinator is responsible for smooth running of the schools. S/he (at present ‘he’) has both academic as well as managerial responsibilities. Academic responsibilities include: ensuring that all the regular activities of the system (weakly sharing meeting, by-monthly all workers meeting, community contact, planning and progress recording, adherence to academic calendar, and so on) are meaningfully continuing, helping teachers in their academic problems, organising workshops for all and training for new teachers, etc. Management related responsibilities include: maintenance of the infrastructure in working order, timely supply of teaching-learning material in the schools, organisational aspect of the schools, etc. Actually it is the Programme Coordinator who is supposed to run the schools. But that is an ideal Programmer Coordinator; in practice he is guided and reminded of do all this with considerable help and sharing of work.

3.      How many members are in the Digantar executive and who constitutes it?

Digantar Executive Committee has 6 members, one place is vacant at present, will be filled in the next meeting. List of Executive Committee and General Body members is attached.

4.      Where are the teachers from? Are they from the same community/villages?

Teachers are from various places in Rajasthan. There is only one local teacher, from a nearby village. I must add here that initially we tried to invite local educated people as teachers. There are very few graduates (teacher qualification in Digantar is graduate, there are only a few who are not graduate, they are either recruited in one batch when the qualification was relaxed, or have worked with Digantar in some other capacity initially) and those who are graduates do not find teaching attractive enough. The latest attempt to recruit a local teacher is very recent. We invited one of old Digantar student who have completed Sr. Hr. Secondary. Special consideration about qualification because she is from the first batch of Digantar children, and therefore, understands the pedagogy and teacher child relationship, is first Muslim girl from our area to complete Sr. Hr. Secondary. She worked hard to convince her parents and in-lows, came for training for about 10 days, then her husband did not like the idea she had to stop working.

5.      Furniture for the schools: Is it a one-time cost? Is it for the schools in the villages?

Yes, it is for the schools in the villages and is not one-time expenditure, it is recurring. In Digantar schools children sit on durried spread on floor. Use a piece of hard-board (about 12”X15”) to rest their notebooks on while writing. Teachers use a cushion (gaddi) in the staff-room when working on daily planning etc., and racks made of either cheep wood or steel are used to store teaching-learning material in the classrooms. This amount is for replacing old items, repairing and/or adding to this furniture. 

6.      What are the roles of a teacher researcher and a teacher? What is the difference between them?

At present there is no difference and these categories are not used, apart from the fact that a trainee teacher is not placed for practicum with all teachers, but only with those who are known to be good teachers. We are thinking of using this distinction in the new budget for two reasons. One, to accommodate old teachers at their present salary. And two, we had a programme last year called Elementary Education Teachers’ Research Network (EETRN). Several groups were involved. The programme was very low budget and was concerned with action research by teachers in their own classrooms. It is a usual practice in Digantar to take-up new ways  of classroom organisation or material or try a different method, and so on. But we never documented all this systematically. During EETRN work some teachers were enthusiastic about the idea, but it also takes a lot of additional work. The old teachers will be expected to do some documentation of their practices during the year and help in teacher training practicum. They will be designated as ‘teacher researchers’ or may be ‘Researcher Teachers’; the terminology is not really fixed yet.

7.      What is the role of the computer operator? Are the children allowed to use the computers? Or is it only for official purposes? How many computers?

Digantar has four computers. One for accounts, two for office and VIMARSH use (one of them is used by me and Reena), one for teachers in the teachers’ room. The operator listed in the schools budget is also office typist, who does all the office work, for schools as well as other Digantar typing, and at present also does VIMARSH work. As a result there is more work than he can handle, so we have an additional part-time typist who comes for three hours per day and takes some workload off the full time computer operator. The computer operator listed in the budget is for office use only. Children do not use computers in Digantar schools so far. We need at the least 20 computers for any meaningful experience for children.

8.      Is there a separate library for all the 3 different schools or is it only one library at the main campus in Jaipur? How does it get utilized? How gets to utilize this facility?

There is only one library at the campus. Every teacher can issue up to 50 children’s books at a time and keep them in his/her classroom. Or alternatively, one teacher takes responsibility of the school library and then takes books form the campus library to establish a library in his/her school. Both systems are used; decision is made by the teachers in the concerned school.

Children are encouraged to read and get books issued. But all teachers are not equally good at it. In some groups children use the library a lot, in others the teachers are repeatedly reminded and there is little use.

The library is used by the children, teachers, and trainees.

 

Budget:

1.      The budget mentions electricity. Is this for the main campus only? Or for the schools? Do the three schools in the villages use electricity?

The amount mentioned in the budget is for the electricity in the main campus only. Schools do not have electric connection so far. The total electric bill for the whole campus is much higher, in the range of 90,000 to 110,000 rupees. Rs.40,000/- mentioned in the budget is a rough estimate of the Elementary Education Project (the three schools) share.

2.      Motorcycle: What is it used for? The site visit report mentioned that there is already one motorcycle. Are there plans to buy another one with the money requested?

Digantar has two two-wheelers. One is an old motorcycle and the other an equally old light two-wheeler called M80 Bajaj. The second one, M80 Bajaj, is out of order every other day and takes a lot of maintenance. The motorcycle is now used for the office as well as for the Elementary Education Programme. We are outside city, that creates a lot more work for the motorcycle and one is busy for the office use. One more motorcycle is needed for mobility of the Programme Coordinator and others connected with the Elementary Education Programme.

3.      Furniture: Is it one-time expenses?

The amount mentioned in the office equipment and furniture is for replacing old office and other (library, workshop hall, etc.)  furniture as well as for buying new furniture. It looks like capital expenditure but we end up spending this kind of amount every year on small replacements and additions.

 

Vimarsh: 

 

1.      What is the target audience? And who does it reach out to currently?

Target audience for VIMARSH are teachers, teacher educators as well as academics concerned with education. At present it reaches educationists and teacher educators mainly, very few teachers.

2.      Who would be the contributors? The budget allocates some money for the contributors?

Contributors mean “contributors of articles/papers etc.”. At present our readers are also our contributors. Which is very good, but token honorarium for writing for VIMARSH is proposed by the editor. The bulk of the amount, of course, will used for translators. VIMARSH also publishes considerable amount of theory and philosophy of education. Hindi writing in these fields needs supplementing. Therefore, we need substantial amount for translation work.

3.      How is this distributed?

Dispatched by book-post to subscribers.

General:

 

1.      In one of the half yearly surveys you mentioned that you have the academic research unit (TARU). What are the activities presently?

TARU activities are very limited at present. This year we have occasional workshops for NGO teachers (two for Vikalp, Rohatak; one (possibly in December) for Ibtada, Alwar, one Mathematics teaching workshop for DPEP, Khammam, A.P.) and two studies. Stidies are evaluation of impact of DPEP intervention in Kerala state and Learning Domain Study of PLAN International’s two  project partners. In addition we are trying to work with government primary schools in Jhotwara Panchayat Samiti of Jaipur district. This last one on the request of panchayat Samiti members. Another activity which involves my time but not of other team members is the Resource Enhancement Programme for DPEP state resource persons. Other people involved in REP are Prof. Ramakant Agnihotry and Dr. H. K. Dewan.

2.      The budget for the new school: Why is the money requested only for December to March? And which year do they correspond to?

The months December to March correspond to December 2001 and January to March 2002. This is the preparation period. If it works children will be admitted in March 2002 for the session April 2002 – March 2003. March end should bring in first instalment of children’s fees and the school should run on its own steam after that.

3.      What is the fee structure that is being proposed for new school?

We are planning to start first eight classes (or their equivalent, as the organisation may be slightly different) in April 2002. 30 children in each class and yearly fee including all teaching-learning material and books between Rs.15000-20000/-.

4.      What are activities that you are considering of restricting while concentrating on the core plan?

I am thinking of restricting all TARU activities and planning  new projects till the schools become self-sustaining. It is a difficult decision, TARU activities are the means through which Digantar approach to education is disseminated and contributes to betterment of primary education. But they are extremely time and energy consuming, and generate only enough income to sustain TARU, that too with difficulty.

5.      Would this mean that there is going to be less of teacher training for outside?

Yes.

6.      One other concern was: have the 3 schools brought about any change in the social structures in the villages?

I do not think the schools have brought any significant changes in the social structure. But there is more interest in and slightly more openness for girls’ education. In addition to about 300 children who have completed primary education 6 or 7 girls have completed Senior Higher Secondary Education and two or three are going for collage education. I doubt if even one or two of these girls would have gone up to Sr. Hr. Secondary without Digantar. We have independent reports that children, especially girls, educated at Digantar are relatively more articulate. I do not think that we have worked long enough and with big enough numbers of children to bring about any significant change in the social structure. (Roughly, July ’89 – Sept. ’92: 50-60 children; Sept. ’92 – Nov.’97: 260-280 children; Nov.’97 – till date (November 01): 470-500 children.)

7.      And what is the involvement of the community/parents in the schools?

Not much. Teachers meet the parents regularly. But that is because we consider knowing the family and understanding the child’s background is essential for good ‘teaching’, also it is parents right to know what is going on in the school, and therefore, we should periodically and regularly interact with them. Parents are not supposed to ‘push’ the children to school, are expected only ‘not to put hurdles’ in their path to school,  not to give them household work etc. at school time. Teachers also do not complain about the child’s behaviour or problems faced in studies; these things are considered responsibilities the schools and not that of parents.

Parents are involved, were involved, in deciding the place for the schools, in putting up hand-pumps for water. Also contributed in school buildings. But that is almost all. Initially when many new things were coming up the involvement was much more. Now it has come down. I think we have to device ways of more active involvement of the community.  

8.      What are the income generating activities for Digantar?

None, but two TARU studies. In total about Rs.700,000/-. This would be barely enough to pay the salaries of involved workers and expenses in conducting the studies. The workshops this year will barely pay for themselves.

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