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Labour
Context
- To realise
Azim Premji Foundation’s vision
related to equity in education, the Foundation has chosen to focus on
disadvantaged and under-served groups of children. Of special concern
are children from the large number of migratory families serving the
booming construction industry in urban India. A majority of these
children do not go to school given the migratory nature of their
families and the lack of suitable access to proximate quality schools.
As a result, not only are they deprived of education in any form but
are also, in a way, forced to seek other kinds of engagement
that may not be constructive to their development.
- Despite
recognition of the presence of such
children and some provision to address their educational needs through
tent schools etc., Governmental efforts have been minimal in this
space, raising the significance of this project.
- There are several issues involved in the
education of such children ranging from their possible multilingual
composition to a varied profile in terms of exposure to any kind of
schooling, the temporariness of their habitation etc.
Concept and
Objectives
- Explore
and experiment to understand what it takes to meet the
development and educational needs of disadvantaged children.
- Develop
a curriculum, pedagogy and education process most suitable to
children that constitute a heterogeneous group necessitating a package
that meets multilingual, multicultural and multisocial requirements for
the aforementioned profile.
- Evolve
multi-grade and multi-level teaching learning methods /
practices for children who are exposed to formal education for a
varying degree of uncertain duration.
- Build a
replicable and sustainable model of quality education for
children of the aforementioned profile to enable them to join the
mainstream.
Assumptions
- That the
migratory character of the children’s profile requires a
different (non-traditional) approach to meeting their educational needs.
- That
this intervention necessarily requires a holistic approach towards
the development of such children including health and nutritional
components.
- That the
major stakeholder in this project is the builder/developer of
the site who is also the employer of the parents of the disadvantaged
children.
Process
- Azim
Premji Foundation, in partnership with the builder/developer, has
set up two experimental school on construction sites for children of
labourers employed by the construction industry.
-
Curriculum and Pedagogy is designed to suit the profile and needs of
these children.
- A study
is conducted at each identified construction site on the
perceptions and expectations of families from education for their
children.
- This
intervention attempts to:
- Provide
basic facilities like appropriate classrooms, blackboard,
teachers who can meaningfully address the learning requirements of the
children, drinking water, toilets and appropriate teaching-learning
material at the school.
- Achieve
universal enrolment and attendance of the children of the
families employed at the construction site and living in the
construction premises.
- Develop
a curricular package to effectively deal with a complex
context: multi-grade, multi-level, multi-lingual, and uncertain
duration of stay.
- Use of
technology to enhance curricular transaction.
- Develop
child friendly processes and culture.
-
Effectively address the health, hygiene and nutrition needs of children.
- Motivate
families of the children to send their children to school –
fully convinced that what is happening in the school is in the interest
of their children.
- Involve
parents in the various activities of the school.
Partnership and
responsibilities
- Builder
/ Site Developer
-
Infrastructure :
- Well-lit,
well-ventilated all-weather proof classrooms in the ratio of
1 room (20 x 15 approximately) to every 25 children with proper flooring
- A
separate room for a crèche for younger children with proper flooring
- Toilets
(separate for girls and boys), drinking water facilities
-
Provision to fetch food for the children from approved sources
- A
fenced school compound with a play area and a small garden
-
Blackboards, sports, music equipment
- Space
for the Mobile Computer-Aided Learning Centre along with electricity
connections for the same
-
Furniture for the school (desks, chairs, floor mats, tables)
-
Teaching learning material, school bags, uniforms etc.
-
Security for the school along with maintenance of the infrastructure
- Costs
related to health, nutrition and hygiene
-
Approvals from concerned authorities
- Azim
Premji Foundation
- Overall
project leadership
-
Teaching learning processes
-
Developing curriculum appropriate to the given profile of children
-
Managing the mobile Computer Aided Learning unit to augment the
pedagogical effort
-
Providing teachers and resource persons as required
- Teacher
development and empowerment
-
Providing exposure to children for Computer Aided Learning
- Program
monitoring, documentation
-
Research
-
Dissemination of the information related to progress and outcomes
- Sharing
costs of nutrition, health and hygiene as required
-
Entering into partnerships and finding partners to successfully
implement the program
- Advocacy
with the Government for institutionalization and with other
builders to scale the program at their sites
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