• Teleconference on Planning & Implementing Interventions for Promoting Girls’ Education in 2006-07

• First Teleconference on Alternative Schooling

• Second Teleconference on Alternative Schooling

• Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Visually Impaired Children

• Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Hearing Impaired Children

• Teleconference on Preparation of AWP & B for 2007-08

• Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Mentally Retarded Children

Teleconference on Planning & Implementing Interventions for Promoting Girls’ Education in 2006-07
A Teleconference on Planning & Implementing Interventions for Promoting Girls’ Education was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 11.00 to 14.00 Hrs. on 11th May, 2006, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference. The teleconference began with Shri Hemant Shukla, DEC incharge, introducing the panel of resource persons, consisting of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Ms. Trupti Sheth, State Gender Education Co.ordinator and Ms. Monika Shah, Anand District Gender Education Co.ordinator.

A 23- minute puppet film titled “Bhaneli Dikri Be Kul Tare”, which was previously broadcast from Doordarshan Kendra, Ahmedabad, was telecast. The film focused on creating awareness about various issues related to Girls Education, especially in rural areas.

Ms. Trupti Sheth, made a detailed presentation on interventions initiated in Gujarat for improving girls education under SSA, NPEGEL & KGBV.Ms. Meena Bhatt, SPD, discussed practical issues involved in the implementation of SSA, NPEGEL and KGBV at grass root level. She appealed to all the functionaries and members of VEC, MTA and PTA to play an active role in improving girls education.

Ms. Ms. Monika Shah, shared her experiences in the field of gender education under SSA, NPEGEL and KGBV.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various roles of VECs, MTAs and PTAs from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

First Teleconference on Alternative Schooling
A Teleconference on Alternative Schooling Interventions was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 28th September, 2006, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference.

The panel of resource persons consisted of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Shri Hemant Shukla,DEC In-Charge & OIC Media & Documentation, Dr D R Sharma, State Co-ordinator for P & M and R & E and Shri Mayank Patel, District Coordinator for AS, Gandhinagar.

Dr Sharma made a presentation on state interventions under alternative schooling under SSA Mission. Shri Mayank Patel shared his experiences in managing alternative schooling at district and block level. A short film on Alternative Schooling was also shown,which was followed by the performance of Sanedo, a popular folk dance by children from an AS Center in Dahegam, dist. Gandhinagar.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

Second Teleconference on Alternative Schooling
A Teleconference on Alternative Schooling Interventions was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 11th December, 2006, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference. The teleconference began with Shri Hemant Shukla, DEC incharge, introducing the panel of resource persons, consisting of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Dr D R Sharma, State Co-ordinator for P & M and R & E ,Ms Jayaben Sharma, CRC Coordinator, Surat Municipal Corporation and Ms Geetaben Acharya, Bal Sakhi from AS Center, Adalaj.

Dr Sharma made a presentation on handling issues in alternative schooling. Ms Jayaben Sharma, shared her experiences in running AS Centers in Surat Municipal Corporation. Ms Geetaben Acharya, Bal Sakhi from AS Center,Adalaj, gave a demonstration lesson on taking a class in alternative schooling scenario..

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Visually Impaired Children
A Teleconference on Teaching the Visually Impaired Children under Integrated Education of Disabled Children scheme of SSA was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 19th December, 2006, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference. The teleconference began with Shri Hemant Shukla, DEC incharge, introducing the panel of resource persons, consisting of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Dr Bhushan Poonani, Executive Director, Blind People’s Association, Ahmedabad, Shri Rajesh Mistri, State IED Coordinator and Shri J B Kavi, Special Educator.

Dr Poonani made a presentation on handling issues in teaching of the visually impaired children. Shri Rajesh Mistri gave details of various interventions for the visually impaired children under IED under SSA.Shri Bhavsar shared his experiences in mainstreaming of visually impaired children in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

A visually impaired child from Ahmedabad gave a dance performance on a popular film song and, later, talked about her experiences in the mainstream stream school she is studying in Ahmedabad, which was followed by experience sharing by her parents and Shri J B Kavi, who educated her.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Hearing Impaired Children
A Teleconference on Teaching the Hearing Impaired Children under Integrated Education of Disabled Children scheme of SSA was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 28th December, 2006, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference. The teleconference began with Shri Hemant Shukla, DEC incharge, introducing the panel of resource persons, consisting of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Shri Rajesh Mistri, Ms Chetna Kothari, K L Institute for the Deaf,Bhavnagar and Ms Nand Thakkar, Manager ,Ratna Nidhi Charitable Foundation, Mumbai..

Ms Kothari made a presentation on handling issues in teaching of the hearing impaired children. Shri Rajesh Mistri gave details of various interventions for the hearing impaired children under IED under SSA. Ms Thakkar shared her experiences in assessment camps for the disabled children organized by Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust in collaboration with SSA Mission. This was followed by a Rajasthani folk dance performance by a troupe of hearing impaired children from Gandhinagar.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

Teleconference on Preparation of AWP & B for 2007-08
A Teleconference on Preparation of AWP & B for 2007-08 was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 19th January, 2007, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co.ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference.

The panel of resource persons consisted of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Shri Hemant Shukla,DEC In-Charge & OIC Media & Documentation, Shri Deepak Chauhan, State MIS Co-ordinator, and Shri Vivek Patel,Asst.State MIS Coordinator.

Shri Chauhan made a presentation on preparation of district’s AWP & B for 2007-08 under SSA Mission. Shri Vivek Patel discussed costing of various interventions under SSA and the common mistakes made by the districts in preparation of AWP & B.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.

Teleconference on IED: Teaching the Mentally Retarded Children
A Teleconference on Teaching the Mentally Retarded Children under Integrated Education of Disabled Children scheme of SSA was organized by Distance Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (DEP – SSA) Mission from 14.30 to 18.00 Hrs. on 14th March, 2007, from the studio of Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application & Geo- informatics at Gandhinagar. A total of 11,100 persons comprising district, block and cluster level co-ordinators, teachers and members of VEC, MTA and PTA participated in the teleconference. The teleconference began with Shri Hemant Shukla, DEC incharge, introducing the panel of resource persons, consisting of Ms. Meena Bhatt, State Project Director, Shri Rajesh Mistri, Ms Saida Vali Ulla, Researcher, B.M. Institute of Occupational Health,Ahmedabad, Ms Reshma Shah, IE Coordinator,Bhavnagar and Shri Pranav Shah, BPA, Ahmedabad.

Ms Saida Vali Ulla made a presentation on handling issues in teaching of the mentally retarded children. Shri Rajesh Mistri gave details of various interventions for the mentally retarded children under IED under SSA. Ms Reshma Shah discussed issues related to effectiveness of IE for MR Children. There was an interview of a mentally retarded boy, Reza, who has won several national and international awards for his beautiful paintings. His mother, Ms Sakina Punjnani, shared her experiences in bringing up her mentally retarded child and how she managed to develop his painting skills.

Question and Answer Session followed the discussions. The panel of experts answered questions related to various aspects of alternative schooling from participants gathered at BRCs, CRCs, district project offices and DIETs.