Pre-primary TLMs for the children of Purulia:

Pre-primary TLMs for the PRADAN students

On 24-25^th August, 2011, our trainers went to visit the 32 Primary Centres run by a famous NGO, PRADAN. These centres were at Jhalida Block (one of the most back ward blocks of West Bengal and also in India) under Purulia District.  It was our 1^st follow up visit after the completion of Phase-I trainings which was held on 25-29 October, 2010 at Swanirvar.

No rod making

            During our visit, we observed that in all the schools had a few children under 5 years old and they were doing nothing in the class. Moreover the teachers had no plan with them and they mostly came by their own timings and spend a few hours in the centres.  We asked the PRADAN officials about these children and came to know that most of their parents went to forest to collect woods leaving their kids in home and most of them send their children to the centres for safety and security. They also requested us to make a plan for these pre-primary children.

            On 19^th September, 2011 teachers of the primary schools (run by PRADAN) came for Phase-II training. We took them to pre-primary school at Margurkhali and gave them a short orientation on Pre-primary teaching methodologies and management. They also saw how the children were using TLMs and other classroom activities. After returning back to Purulia the teachers requested the PRADAN’s management to purchase pre-primary TLM sets for their 32 centres. After that we got order from PRADAN to supply 32 sets of TLM for their pre-primary students. Our staff made these sets in 15 days, these were 24 sets of TLMs for the below 4yrs children and 28 sets of TLMs for the comparative senior children. Very soon we will send our staff trainers to assess the TLM use in the centres and they will also give a practical orientation to the teachers on the TLM use in the classroom.

Reported by:
Prosanto Mondal
Swanirvar; Tel: 91 9732829202