ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTION OF CREATIVE LEARNING, PATNA

INTRODUCTION TO `GRAMYA SRIJAN'

After several years of establishment of APCL and School of Creative Learning, it was felt necessary to set up a large campus to cater to a larger group of students as well as increase the scope of activity. With this in mind, a plot of land was acquired in Nargada Village, about 2 kms from Danapur Cantonment on Danapur-Naubatpur Road, Danapur, Patna.

The plot of land is segmented in two parts. You can see the detailed plot layout by clicking on the image. The residential plot of land has been acquired by persons interested in supporting the activities of APCL.


The Bhoomi-Pujan(Ground-Breaking Ceremony) took place in March 2001 (See the picture here). Now the first set of building has been completed and a school has started functioning here since academic session of 2003. Rest of the construction, wil be done in phases. We give below details of this project for anybody wishing to understand the dimension/nature of the project. Site plan for the ground floor of school building at new campus can be seen by clicking on the image below:

If you are interested in supporting this project, please go to Support Us Section.

ORGANIZATION OF PAGE

This page covers the following topics. You can click on any of them to take you to the appropriate section:

OBJECTIVES OF THE EXPANSION PROJECT

The main object of the project is to

VISION

Creativity is the most important quality for the development of human beings in the modern society. The present day education, which is based on rote- learning can produce only technological re-producer, who has little chance of coming to the top in the fast changing world. Further, we are too much dependent on the teachers and schools for our learning system, which only feels the obligation of passing on the informations rather than making the child skillful in the art of creating/collecting, analysing and presenting those informations in the useful manner. Hence, we are not able to produce world class scientists, writers, poets, artists, etc. on the scale we ought to have done on the basis of our long culture and large size of population.

The Expansion Project of APCL managed SCL (School of Creative Learning) is a step towards towards creation of a learning society, in which all organs of the society are involved in the learning process in continuous and sustained manner. All individuals are learners and all individuals and institutions are leaning facilitators.Such a situation is necessary for development of creative potential all individuals of society.

MODERN CONCEPT OF EDUCATION

These days education is being seen as an empowerment process. The ultimate objective of the education system should be to empower people to fructify their own inherent potential. This empowerment is total, that is

Thus, education system has to be designed in such a way that the inherent potential of all persons in respect of physical, social, economic, political, and moral dimensions should fully blossom in the process of learning.

These days education is no longer conceived as a classroom activity only, rather it is now seen to be acquired anywhere, anytime and by any process. What we should be concerned is the achievement and not the process or place of learning. A person like Rabindra Nath Tagore could learn without any formal schooling and achieve one of the greatest recognition in literature as Nobel Prize. Similarly, if Bill Gates can become one of the leading innovators of our times without much formal schooling, then entire learning system must be seen afresh with a new vision.

In this concept, education no longer remains a time-bound, place-bound process confined to the four boundaries of the school system and measured in terms of years of exposure of classroom teaching. Education is, now, equated with learning no matter how, where and when it is acquired. Clearly, as compared to the earlier structural and institutional approach, the functional approach to education is becoming more and more acceptable. A plant should get water in time, no matter whether it comes through rains or irrigation channels. So, a person has to get learning, no matter how and where it comes to him/her.

The avowed philosophy of the proposed school is to prepare the child to be a 24 hours and whole life learner. It should attempt to shape the character of its pupils in such a way that they become capable of taking leadership role in various fields of activities and profession in the new millennium. As we have indicated earlier the present education system mainly catered to develop children for obtaining jobs mainly in government. Now that jobs are shrinking children have to be prepared mainly for self employment. The school would try to provide such education that learners may not have any difficulty in establishing their own industry, business or institutions providing different services to the society.

This requires all round development of personality with a sound mind and healthy body. A person is now said to be learning 24 hours a day and all through his life. Hence, the major emphasis of the school would be to teach learners the art of learning rather than acquire a few informations and pass in particular examination. Students passing out from the school will be a learner for life. In this sense the school would provide a forum, where all the following four pillars of learning (identified by International Commission on Education in the 21st Century under the presidentship of Jacques Delors set up by UNESCO in its famous report named, "Learning: The Treasure Within") would be equally attended.

SHOULD SCHOOLS BE SELF-SUPPORTIVE?

No organization can run without money. Funds for the maintenance of the organization is essential.But, it can be procured either by directly charging money from the users or can be indirectly provided by the society. There is a positive advantage in the former that there is a direct accountability of the organization towards the users and thus they have to perform better at all cost. Even in the olden age the maintenance of schools was the duty of the society. Donations to schools teachers were considered to be the most pious job. The traditions were so strong that it was said that if a teacher comes to the house, he should be offered the meal first. Then only the hosts should take the meal.

It is often felt that schools opened by private individuals or a group of individuals are enterprises where, profits have to be earned at all costs. This is not true in all cases. In case of schools run by non-profit making societies the savings are utilized for the growth of the institution and are not cornered by any individuals. These savings play a crucial role in the development of such institution. Such organizations do not work for the motive of earning profit or having savings, but they work for certain social motive of reform and transformation. Such institutions can play an important role in the service sector as government schools fail to provide the desired level of service due to lack of accountability.

It is proposed to run this institution on self-supporting basis.

APCL AS A VOLUNTARY SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

To underscore the importance of creativity in the society like minded people dedicated to the cause of promotion of creativity in society formed an association called Association for promotion of Creative Learning (APCL) which is a non profit making society registered under Societies Registration Act 1860 (Regn.No.171/97-98). It has, basically, been established to promote Creativity and Creative Learning in society. Since its inception in 1996-97, it has been able to establish its own identity in the field of child education. It has been able to evolve a unique teaching-learning methodology and evaluation system. To demonstrate the nature of changes in the education system, it has established a prototype school in the name of School of Creative Learning at Patna. This school works as a centre of action research in the field of new educational methodology/technology.

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

Scope of the proposed school project is to adopt a non-residential public school system designed to provide quality education of CBSE standard through English as medium of instruction. However, it will have classes commencing from nursery to class X. It will be a co-educational institution with a defined quota of reservation for S.C., S.T, OBC and economically depressed classes of candidates.

Special Education

The school would also make special provision for mentally retarded and physically handicapped children. It would particularly cater to the needs of learning deficiencies in terms of multiple intelligence.

A group called Mukhar, which has been working as a teaching and research centre for Deaf, Dumb and Mentally retarded has also become associated with APCL/SCL recently. More detail about Mukhar is available here.

STATUS OF THE SCHOOL

Proposed school shall be a progressing co-educational institutions with English as the medium of instruction. It will be an important wing of APCL committed to quality education through innovative methods and learning aids. The school curriculum shall conform to the CBSE standard and shall be modelled on the concept of day boarding schooling where the learners get competency for acquiring knowledge, skills and values for effective personal and professional gains in their future ahead.

FOCUS

The focus of the school shall be to provide an environment which is a fusion of the rich ancient cultural tradition of India with creativity and independence in thinking of west i.e. "focus on value education system which will inculcate among the students universal value and enrich his or her personality- intellectually, physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually" Students shall be nurtured and grooved through love and affection and by persuasion and not by harsh methods of beating and ear pulling, Children will be encouraged to explore the mysteries of life and environment around them through project integrating art, craft, music, dance, drama, sports etc. Activities shall be designed to develop their fine motor skills and sensorial development.

LOCATION

The school is planned to be located in the village Nargada on Danapur Naubatpur main Road 2 Km away from Danapur Cantonment. It happens to be surrounded by Green fields. It is at a distance of about 3 kms from Danapur Railway station. One of the main features of the location is the fact that the area is near the famous village `Khagaul' (distorted form of `Khagol'(i.e. earth) named after the great astronomer and mathematician Aryabhatta)

SCHOOL EMBLEM

To project the school as a fusion of the East and the West, India's glorious past with its modernizing future The school has adopted an emblem consisting of a maze of vertically upward and downward triangle with a point in between emerging into sun and its flame. It clearly symbolizes origin of universe and its existing system, which is obviously the finest example of creativity of nature. The school has adopted the great Brahman Saying " " as its motto to emphasize the importance of dynamism in creative learning.

HOUSE SYSTEM

The school shall have a House System, which will have 4 divisions :

Each child shall be allotted with a House after joining the school. Interhouse activities shall be planned to promote their competitiveness and cooperation with fellowmates.

HOSTEL FACILITIES

Residential accommodation shall be provided to about 150 students. A Hostel Warden shall be appointed to look after the students, their studies, food and transit facilities. Preference shall be given to the students coming from outside Patna for admission to the Hostel, till a hostel is constructed. Later on the premises shall have its own regular hostels for boys and girls separately.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ITS VALIDITY FOR THE SOCIETY

Generally public schools are charged with a social stigma of producing hypocrites. To some extent it was true, as seen from the point of view of preindependence British colonialists interested in utilizing the best talents available in the country among the feudal society of Rajahs and Landlords by adopting various segregative ways to keep the future administrators aways from the toiling masses then called the natives. But, when India acquired the status of sovereign democracy with leaning for socialism many evils of public school system disappeared. To keep this healthy trends up, the proposed school shall have a pattern of co-curricular activities which will promote the interaction of the students and their teachers with the residents in its immediate hinterland. The objective of such a co-curricular activity shall be to promote development in the the sphere of non-conventional energy, sanitation, housing, family planning, literacy, arts and culture etc. Co-curriculum shall be meticulously planned, to ensure participation of the people living around the school. This will also reduce social tensions and prejudices and promote social development in general. Students in turn learn to be kind and cooperative to the underprivileged and downtrodden class of people.

For instance social science will focus on values like democracy, tolerance, coexistence, respect for others views. Equally importance will be give to the role of school environment in spreading the message of value education. It has to be congenial. Full use will be made of morning assembly and the prayers sung there will certainly strengthen beliefs like secularism and patriotism.

Much as some may resent the intrusion of the television in our home, we will use them for teaching value education system through cartoons, strips, films, plays and even plain story telling. What is needed is that values are projected in a manner that children can relate and should have an earthly quality. The innocent but impressionable mind should be able to connect to what they see or hear with ordinary human beings they are familiar with. For instance, great leaders will not be presented in a manner that children feel that it is almost impossible for them to follow their ideals. The burden of studies seems to have virtually banished activities like NCC, scouts and guides. There revival will promote discipline, cooperation and a healthy attitude towards life. An academic activity like increasing reading habits will be encouraged, perhaps with a compulsory library period.

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Admission to various classes shall be done strictly on the basis of admission test conducted every year on appointed dates subject to vacancies available in each class.

The test shall be conducted to evaluate the basic talents of candidates in Hindi, Mathematics, English and communicative skills. Interviews shall be conducted for screening out the candidates qualifying in the written test with 1:2 proportion for selection. All aspiring candidates will be required to get themselves registered after submitting the form with prescribed fees to the Principal of the school on or before due date. Academic standards of the parents shall also be considered before a candidate is finally selected.

List of candidates qualifying in the written test shall be displayed within 2- days after the test and final selection list within 1-days after the interviews. One week's time shall by given to selected candidates for getting them admitted into the school with necessary instructions for books, dresses, shoes and transit arrangements.

The school would take separate test for admission from children of outside Patna particularly of rural areas so that talented children may get opportunity to avail quality education. There would be provision for hostel facilities for these children.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

SCHOLARSHIPS

To give incentive to the child is of paramount importance, to give scholarship and prizes or concession in tuition fees. In order to nurse talented children of all over Bihar the school would provide special scholarships to talented children on the basis of competition. For this special fund would be created.

TRANSPORTATION

There will be 8-vehicles plying through 6 defined routes to carry the students to and from different localities at Danapur, Patna and its agglomerate towns and villages (Khagaul, Phulwarisharif-Anishabad, Danapur-Digha, Patliputra Colony, Boring Road, Kankarbag, Bari Pahari & surrounding periphery etc. )

The buses will be attractive and will ply through various defined routes and each of them will have a driver and a khalasi appointed by the organization. Fuel for each bus will be provided from the school funds.

CREATIVE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE

Objective

Process

A centre for quality education in modern times requires continuous updating as the information explosion is leading to doubling of information base in 3-4 years. The centre would be required to keep track of changes in the field of modern education and develop new teaching learning techniques so that children may get an opportunity for learning the most modern learning techniques.

Some of the teachers having aptitude in research would be associated in the research process apart from teaching. Teachers of other organizations would be engaged in research on honorarium basis.

Areas of Research

Publication and sale

The books and other teaching learning materials would be put up on sale through a sale counter in the school premises. Besides this the items would also be sold in the book fair and through other volunteers.

CREATIVE LEARNING TRAINING CENTRE

Objective

To impart training in creative learning techniques

Target

Methodology

Short term courses would be organized for different category of teachers. These courses would be of short durations of

Sometimes such training programs would be organized at the field level also.

Generally, at least 150 days training programs would be organized in a year. Training programs would be arranged in the conference room of the school.

The training programs would be non- residential till residential arrangements are made in the campus.

The training centre would also help in establishing similar centre all over country particularly in rural areas.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The methodology of executing the project shall be according to a predetermined work plan which shall include the following:

INFRASTRUCTURAL NEEDS

Roads

Apart from the approach road linking the school with district roads and highways, the school shall have 10-20 wide internal roads with flower strips on each side. It will be mainly used for pedestrian movement of students, teachers and staff engaged in the school. The school building shall be linked later on with the hostel premises, play fields, amusement parks, gardens, pools etc. Width of roads meant to be used for plying of buses shall be 20 feet.

Pathways

All flower beds, gardens and parks etc. Shall have pathways paved with stone slabs 3-feet in width, These pathways shall not only facilitate movement of students and staff but shall be used by the gardeners (malies) and other class IV staff serving the green areas within the campus.

Water Supply

The School shall have a water supply system of its own. It will draw ground water from a depth of nearly 300 feet and store in an overhead tank of nearly 20000 litre capacity installed on a tower of appropriate height. Water supplied for drinking shall be regularly tested for purity. The school premises, shall be provided with tap water facilities from this tank.

Electricity

Electricity shall be supplied by the State Electricity Board which will need installation of a sub-station with transformers of requisite capacity. However, all buildings will have generators of appropriate capacities and numbers. to tackle problem of load shedding and trappings of the general supply.

Communications

Apart from few general telephone connections all the buildings shall have intercom facilities.

All class rooms shall be provided with public addressed system which will be integrated with closed circuit T.V. to be monitored by the Principal by appropriate number of switches under his/her control. This system shall be mainly used for enforcing discipline during school hours.

Laboratory Appliances

All labs in the schools shall have necessary installations and materials required for practical experiments by the students.

LAND AND BUILDING

The organization owns nearly 2 acres of land at village Nargada 6-7 km west at Danapur-Naubatpur Road. It is served by a 90 feet road Danapur and western end of Khagaul Railway station. The region around is purely agricultural and with severe deforestation the landscape has little to be proud of. However, the environs are characterized by lush green cultivated land with ponds and canals here and there.

The school premises shall have a minimum of 2 acres area which will mostly be given to non-built up uses. The School building shall have nearly 78 rooms meant to be used as class rooms, toy room, a huge library-cum-resource centre, meditation room, a state of the art computer room, reading room, audio visual lecture centre, Arts & Crafts room , gymnasium, chambers of the Principal and faculty members, sports room, bathrooms, auditorium room, rooms for security staff etc. It will be four story (G+3) structure designed with architectural and aesthetic considerations so that all children leaving the school after nearly 10-12 years of emotional attachment may have romantic images to be stored in their memories.

Presently the school is being planned to have Nursery, KG-1 and Standard I to Standard VIII with three sections A, Band C in each class i.e. altogether 30 classes. Each class shall have one more upper class till it reaches level 10 of the C.B.S.E. Each class shall have 40 students. Thereby at the time of opening the school, it should have 1050 students on its rolls, Accordingly the strength of the teachers shall be around 35 at initial stages and it may reach a strength of 55, when it reaches 10th level. The school shall start XI and XII class after 3 years.

The total area of 2 acres (64 Kathas) of premises shall be developed according to a layout plan with the following distribution pattern.

[Note : All spatial allocations are tentative and may be altered according to emerging needs of the Project]

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS OF PROJECT

The financial resources needed to complete this project is estimated as follows:

Itemwise requirements of Fund

ITEMESTIMATE (Rs.)
Land100.00 lakhs
Building365.85 lakhs
Furniture47.82 lakhs
Other Fixed Assets56.88 lakhs
Total Requirement of Funds570.55 lakhs

Phasewise requirements of Fund

PHASEYEARESTIMATE (Rs.)
I2001-02258.38 lakhs
2002-0392.28 lakhs
II2003-0486.53 lakhs
2004-05133.36 lakhs
Total Requirement570.55 lakhs
FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION

Administrative set up

Since the proposed school is an income generating project of APCL, the apex body responsible for its administration shall be the BOARD OF MANAGEMENTof APCL and all school staffs from Principal at the top downward to the level of peons shall be accountable to the BOARD OF MANAGEMENT of APCL through its President and technically the former will be employees answerable to the latter as their employers.

They will draw their monthly honorarium from the school funds administered separately under APCL's official command and procedures. However, for all practical purposes the Principal shall be wholly responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the school and all the faculty members shall obey his/her orders and procedures adopted for smooth functioning of the school. All school employees will be treated as social workers and as in the case of other employees of APCL, any of them can be assigned with jobs other than school any time as and when required.

Faculty members

Each class will have a class Teacher who will be directly concerned with the academic development of the children. He/she will be answerable to the Principal in day-to-day matters of teaching as well as extra-curricular activities.

Apart from Class Teachers their will be strength of teachers in various subjects (Math Humanity, Home Science, Life Science, Physics, Chemistry , English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Musics, Social Studies, Geography, History etc.). A Physical Instructor shall be in charge of regular drills, aerobatics for both general as well as scouts/ guides groups of the School. A whole time horticulture expert will be appointed for development of park within school premises. All of these staff members will work according to directions and command of the Principal. A Vice Principal shall be appointed from among faculty members who will act as Principal during period of the absence of the latter.

Qualification for the faculty members & principal

The Principal shall be M.A./M.Sc. preferably with B.Ed. and at least 5 yrs. experience in a responsible position in an educational institution or other institution of repute. Vice-Principals shall have the same qualification except an experience of 1 to 2 yrs in an educational institution of repute.

ADMINISTRATIVE HIERARCHY OF THE SCHOOL

All officials and employees will draw their monthly honorarium/pay as social workers of the organization. For administrative convenience one of the Vice President of `APCL' shall be responsible for administrative and financial matters of the school with the powers to sign cheques and other documents related to school funds. He/She will work as the director of the centre. At the `APCL' headquarters he/she will be the Director, Deputy Director or Assistant Director dealing with the files and other papers related to resource centre and school.

DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS

Director

He/She will act as a watchdog for all matters related to execution of the Project and do the following specific jobs and remain answerable to the President/Executive President in matters related to the project:

Deputy Director/ Assistant Director

Deputy /Director of Assistant Director shall also hold office at `APCL' head office and assist in normal discharge of duties and functions of the Director.

He/she will dispose of all project related matters during period of absence of the Executive Director and the latter shall evaluate his/her work and duties periodically every two months.

Principal

The Principal of the school shall be overall in charge of operational aspect of school administration, finance, transportation, preparation of curriculum, enforcement of discipline etc. in the school. He/she will remain answerable to the Director.

Vice Principal (Teaching)

Vice Principal (Accounts)

Vice Principal (Research and Training)

Assistant Teachers (Teaching)

All assistant Teachers will be answerable to the Principal and Vice principal (Teaching) and will work according to their direction and command in teaching matters and school discipline.

Research Officers








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Last changed: Mon Oct 5 05:04:51 2009