|
Chapter IV
Mobilization of Communities
4.0 Community Mobilization
Generating active community participation for building community ownership of the village school has been a challenge for the programme Under DPEP and SSA, the Gujarat Council of Primary Education has devised its own strategies and interventions to elicit community participation. It has operationalised several participatory mechanisms with a great deal of success.
4.1 Mobilization Campaigns
Campaign mode has been used at the local level to generate community awareness and environment building. Print and audiovisual media were used with local, culturally appropriate media during Balmahotsavs, Prabhat Pheris, Mashal Yatras which were undertaken extensively in May- June 2004.
Following major interventions were undertaken for community mobilization during the year:
-
Cultural talent search activities organised.
-
Thematic dramas and folk theatre (Bhavai) used.
-
Stalls set up in local popular fairs.
-
TLM exhibitions for local communities organised.
-
District level awareness meetings held to discuss community mobilization strategies.
-
Awareness programmes organised.
-
Praveshotshavs organised.
-
Special campaign launched for girl’s enrolment in tribal area.
-
Meetings in the community organised for girls’ education.
-
Special Mobilization campaigns like Mahila Jagruti Shibir, Maa-beti sammellan organised in ‘Gender Focus Areas’.
-
Special VEC, MTA/ PTA meetings organized before enrolment drives
4.2 Training For Community Leaders
Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, cluster level trainings were organized for Community Leaders with the resource support of BRC and CRC Co-ordinators in the SSA districts. For these, 8 community leaders comprising members of VEC,MTA and PTA from each revenue village were identified and oriented on playing a crucial role in universalization of elementary education at village level.
The community leaders were sensitized on their role in implementation of the project. They have been oriented on the use of School Grant, Teachers Grant, School Repair and Maintenance Grant. Capacity building through trainings, orientations, workshops and experience sharing activities have been the components of mobilization strategy. Regular and need specific training provided to the VECs, MTAs & PTAs to create and strengthen their skills in building the school- community linkages. Training materials were developed for orientation of VECs, MTAs & PTAs. VECs were trained using cascade model, while BRCs & CRCs coordinators were oriented as Master Trainers. The VECs, MTAs, PTAs have been meeting regularly.
4.3 Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra : Enrolment Drive 2004
Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra, organised as a major component of State-wide Enrollment Drive under the leadership of Hon. Chief Minister and under direct supervision of Minister of Education met with tremendous success all over Gujarat.
During June 14,15,16, 2004,a total of 2,12,450 children in the age group 5+ years were enrolled in Std. I, comprising 1,03,616 girls and 1,08,834 boys. The magnitude of success of the programme is reflected by the fact that contributions in cash and kind worth Rs.1,47,64,776 approximately, comprising Rs.21,33,402 in cash, Narmada bonds worth Rs.35,98,500/- and other objects worth Rs.90,32,874/- were received by schools from local donors during the three-day Enrollment Drive. A total of 9458 primary schools in 7765 villages were covered under the Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra during the three days.
The processions of Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra, led by all the cabinet ministers, Chief Secretary and 268 senior officers, were taken out in 2082 villages with female literacy less than 20 %. As per the strategy adopted, every minister and officer visited at least five such villages everyday, so that during the three-day drive, each one of them had visited at least 15 villages requiring rigorous efforts to improve the female literacy by making efforts for 100 % enrolment of girls.
The Enrollment Drive was celebrated with the festive spirit and amidst joyous atmosphere in primary schools where the children, dressed for the occasion and accompanied by parents were greeted with warm welcome by teachers, members of VEC, MTA & PTA and other villagers. The newly enrolled children were presented with colourful Enrollment Caps and, a tilak applied on their foreheads. They were also offered sweets and confectionery. The efforts were made to make them feel that a school is a place for fun and enjoyment.
Intense and enthusiastic participation is reported from everywhere of Village Education Committees, Mother Teacher Association, Parent Teacher Association and self-help groups. At every school, the message contained in the mailer from Minister of Education, Smt. Anandiben Patel was read out and the members of VEC, MTA & PTA signed the Letter of Oath, pledging their total commitment and support for 100% enrollment and retention of children, especially girls, in primary schools.
Donors presented the newly enrolled children with school bags, slates, pens, pencils, textbooks, notebooks, uniform etc. Under Vidyalaxmi Yojna, in villages with low female literacy, the girls enrolled in Std.I were given Narmada Bonds worth Rs.1000/- which were also collected through local donations. A large number of people participated in the cultural programmes organized in all schools across the state.
4.4 Media Advocacy
Media advocacy for primary education, particularly, with respect to education of girls, is the focus area under DPEP & SSA in Gujarat. A well designed strategy of communication detailing the target group, media messages, media options etc. have been used to deal with the issues of enrolment and retention. Due to this, DPEP & SSA projects has generated a lot of goodwill and greater acceptability of the community at the grass root level. Besides it has instilled vital confidence in the project functionaries at all levels.
4.5 Training to Community Leaders
Village level training's were organized for Community Leaders with the resource support of BRC and CRC Co-ordinators in the SSA districts. For these, 8 community leaders were identified and oriented on playing a crucial role in universalization of elementary education at village level. A total of 172248 community leaders were trained under SSA.
During the current year, members of a total of 22906 VECs, 115 WEC and 31578 MTA and PTA were given orientation- cum- training on their role in universalization elementary education. They were trained on how to organize enrollment drive and work towards 100% enrollment, improving retention and reducing drop-outs.
4.6 Booklets for VECs
Booklets in simple Gujarati were developed in- house and distributed to all the VECs in the State. The pocket-sized booklets provide useful information in laymen's terms on all the major aspects of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, viz. teachers training, alternative schooling, gender education, civil works, Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IED) and financial norms under the project. The booklets have made it easier for VEC members and local communities to understand the nuances of SSA, so that, they can play pro- active role in monitoring and supervision of grassroot level interventions.
4.7 Strengthening of Community structures.
Capacity building through trainings, orientations, workshops and experience sharing activities has been the major component of mobilization strategy in DPEP and SSA in
Gujarat. Regular, need specific trainings were provided to the VECs, MTAs & PTAs to create and strengthen their skills in building the school- community linkages. Training materials were developed for orientation of VECs, MTAs & PTAs. VECs were trained by BRC & CRC coordinators who were their Master Trainers. The VECs, MTAs and PTAs have been meeting regularly. Following are the details of VECs, MTAs, PTAs and Parent Councils formed and trained in the state.
Formation of Village Education Committees (VECs) & Ward Education Committees (WECs) in Gujarat :
|
Sr.
No.
|
Name
of the District
|
No.
of VEC
|
No.
of MTA
|
No.
of PTA
|
|
1
|
Ahmedabad
|
824
|
895
|
895
|
|
2
|
Amreli
|
773
|
773
|
773
|
|
3
|
Anand
|
1051
|
1051
|
1051
|
|
4
|
Banaskantha
|
827
|
2094
|
2094
|
|
5
|
Bharuch
|
926
|
926
|
926
|
|
6
|
Bhavnagar
|
894
|
1128
|
1128
|
|
7
|
Dahod
|
671
|
1527
|
1527
|
|
8
|
Dang
|
311
|
410
|
410
|
|
9
|
Gandhinagar
|
563
|
640
|
640
|
|
10
|
Jamnagar
|
1163
|
1317
|
1317
|
|
11
|
Junagadh
|
913
|
1132
|
1132
|
|
12
|
Kheda
|
1674
|
1674
|
1674
|
|
13
|
Kutch
|
1286
|
1470
|
1470
|
|
14
|
Mehsana
|
921
|
921
|
921
|
|
15
|
Narmada
|
680
|
680
|
680
|
|
16
|
Navsari
|
623
|
747
|
747
|
|
17
|
Panchmahal
|
1174
|
2262
|
2262
|
|
18
|
Patan
|
724
|
801
|
801
|
|
19
|
Porbandar
|
156
|
299
|
299
|
|
20
|
Rajkot
|
1098
|
1283
|
1283
|
|
21
|
Sabarkantha
|
716
|
2430
|
2430
|
|
22
|
Surat
|
1698
|
1826
|
1826
|
|
23
|
Surendranagar
|
692
|
940
|
940
|
|
24
|
Vadodara
|
1576
|
2248
|
2248
|
|
25
|
Valsad
|
972
|
972
|
972
|
|
|
Total
|
22906
|
30446
|
30446
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sr.
No.
|
Name
of the District
|
No.
of WEC
|
No.
of MTA
|
No.
of PTA
|
|
26
|
Ahmedabad
Corp.
|
43
|
532
|
532
|
|
27
|
Vadodara
Corp.
|
16
|
225
|
225
|
|
28
|
Rajkot
Corp.
|
23
|
99
|
99
|
|
29
|
Surat
Corp.
|
33
|
276
|
276
|
|
|
Total
|
115
|
1132
|
1132
|
|
|
Grand
Total
|
23021
|
31578
|
31578
|
Parent Councils have been formed in all villages and their members trained. Now, they are playing an active role in changing the attitude of the parents and the communities on various kinds of disabilities. So far, they seem to have been effective in changing the thinking of parent towards the integrated education for their disabled children.
4.6 Community Contributions
Large donations in cash and kind were received from the local community in all villages of the project districts during Enrolment Drive this year. Large plots of land were donated by the villagers for construction of primary schools , additional classrooms and Block Resource Centers. Apart from cash and land, local people gave their contribution in kind such as pens, pencils, slates, note-books, maps, charts, etc. In district Dangs, contribution has been received mainly in kind, viz., pen, pencil, slate, Deshi Hisab etc.
Empowerment of the community structures has truly decentralized the programme which is evident in the role played by VEC, MTA, PTA and Parent Council in the various school management activities. The large number of contributions made by the villagers in project districts indicate that DPEP and SSA have been highly successful in generating a sense of ownership in the local communities.
|
