Bihar is predominantly a rural state. One of the main reasons of its backwardness lies in the poor educational infrastructure. It has the highest rate of illiterate people in the country. If we want to build a new Bihar, we must try to improve its educational infrastructure. One of the prime requirements of the present century is to inculcate creativity among its citizens. So, if we want to change the scenario we must seize opportunity to design a new learning system based on quality and creativity and spread it to the remotest corner of the villages. Education can become the cornerstone of the total development of the Rural Bihar. Governments- both central and state- are still fighting for the basics of education and to bring creativity into focus would be a far-fetched dream. Hence, civil society has to undertake this task upon its soldiers to show the way.
To expand quality education in rural areas of Bihar
To work for total development of the villages/sub urban areas
Gram Sanjiwani is a programme of total development of villages/sub urban areas. It would start with opening an educational centre for all types of learners- young, old, labourers, farmers, artisans and women. Initially a school would be opened in the village in the land and building provided by the villagers. The school would be run from I to XII. It would follow the syllabus of Creative Learning upto class VIII which is equivalent to CBSE syllabi with special inputs on development of creativity, concentration, memory, Thinking, Reasoning, Power of observation, Managerial abilities and emotional management in addition to the usual Languages- Hindi and English, Science, Mathematics and S.St. The subjects would be taught in the innovative way keeping in view the requirements of multiple intelligence. It would also have practical classes in mathematics, languages, Science and Social Sciences. It is also proposed to have computer education right from class I.
The medium of instruction is proposed to be Hindi. But we propose to teach English right from std. I.
Gradually vocational courses would also be introduced as per need of the area. As it is difficult to meet the requirement of CBSE in terms of infrastructure, it would be linked to National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), New Delhi for certification at Xth and XIIth level. As NIOS has facility of credit transfer with CBSE learners who have failed in NIOS can join the school and get the certificate by passing the failed subject. NIOS also has the facility of vocational courses, which CBSE does not have. It also has the facility of choosing the subject from a wide list. Learners can directly join Engineering, Medical, Polytechnic, ITI, etc. The vocational courses can help in giving a new shape to the skill base of the villages.
Later one may also think of linking it to Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi or Nalanda Open University, Patna for future studies.
The centre would gradually become the nodal point for total development of the village and the area.
Academic management would be done by APCL. It would take care of research, training, material requirement, pupil evaluation and overall linkage and guidance to the programme. For this purpose we shall have one center at Patna at APCL headquarters. The administrative management of the school would be through local committees Land, building and recurring expenses etc for the purpose would be provided by the local committees either through donation or contribution. People can be persuaded to meet the expenses of the school.
The finance for each project in the scheme would be separately met by raising resources either by donation. Generally, the recurring expenses would be met by the contribution from the beneficiaries. However, the expenses on behalf of poor people can be met by donation from benevolent people for which separate scheme would be worked out. The project would however run on no-profit no-loss basis.
We plan to start the project in the places where we get good volunteers and where we have support from the villagers. As each village would have different problems, we would have to take up each one as a separate project.
Different people would be
encouraged to take up the scheme in their own villages. This way they would
be able to repay the debt they owe to their motherland. They can be encouraged
to donate their own land and building for this noble cause. There are many
people who have money and who want to do work in their villages, but are
not able to do, would get a chance to be associated with the project.
Each village would be a different project as each would have a different requirement. It would depnd on the availability of land, infrastructure and other additional requirements. It would also depend on the paying capacity of people in the village. We would like to make it self-sufficient, so that operational expenses are met through contributions from village. Outside contribution would meet the requirements of additional infrastructure - lab equipments, library, sports equipments etc. We shall also try to raise funds from various other donor agencies to meet the requirements of vocational courses and also for specialised projects for adults and women. We can also ask for sponsored scholarships for people of extremely weaker sections for both category - normal and talented. For talented people we can make arrangement at Patna in School of Creative Learning on sposnsorship basis.
In summary, we should first
of all ascertain the interest, visit the place and then work out
the minimum requirement of fund.
The teaching would be done
by teachers trained by APCL from time to time. They may be locals or from
outside depending on availability of local talents. For example, if we don't
have people to teach we may have to appoint people from outside.
As the school would be managed
by local managing committee, salary, etc. would be paid by them.
However, it would be closely monitored by APCL through its representation
in the committee.
The calculation can be made
on project to project basis. Normally we won't like it to be costly. We shall
calculate the total cost of running the project and deduct the
amount of fees to be raised from inside so that we may assess the requirement
of assistance from outside.
The administration would
be handled by the local committee under close supervision of APCL. We
may also think of appointing the Principal and accountant from
APCL.
We shall try to cover all
types of villages. It does not matter whether they are in the remote. In
fact they are the most needed areas where we should take this project. Lets
try to see that entire Bihar is covered under the project.