PRAYASH - CHILD CARE CENTRE AT BADURIA POLICE STATION:

9^th Jan, 2014, PRAYASH, an initiative to main streaming the child labours working in brick kiln and adult literacy centre in collaboration with Baduria police station was inaugurated by Sri Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury, Superintend of Police, North 24 Parganas District. Last two months we did extensive door to door survey to identify the dropouts and underprivileged children and illiterate adults.  The centre was opened for the public on 9^th Jan, 14 by the SP, north 24 Parganas, Mr. Dipankar Bhattacharyya, the Chairman Baduria Municipality, Block Development Officer, Baduria Block, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Avijit Banerjee, OC Baduria PS, Mr. Kollol Ghosh, Councilors of Baduria Municipality, Block Education Officials, Eminent Educationist, representatives from Different Political parties, many Govt Primary School teachers, Swanirvar staff,  guardians of the children were also present in that programme.

The school was inaugurated with the illumination of lamp by the SP, North 24 Parganas. After that there was a small cultural programme by the children. 30 students of PRAYASH perform a chorus and at the end they perform a short drama.

This event got huge media coverage by local print and TV media.

The school is running smoothly from 10^th Jan, 14. So far 30 students were coming to the school on regular basis. The school became very popular in Baduria Market area. Every day, some new children were enrolled in this centre. One of our major focus was to involve the local politicians and Govt teacher to persuade the guardians to send their dropout children to this centre.

This school celebrated two special days on 23^rd Jan- Netaji’s birth day and 26^th Jan- Republic day with the police force in the police station premises. The students sing patriotic songs ( Chorus) and did the parade.  

Reported by,

Biswanath Roy,  T: 8145270884

Successful Mathematics Teachers Network:

TLM Workshop at Swanirvar

         

            Secondary Education department (KKB) of Swanirvar started giving regular inputs to High Schools from 2006. At that time we were mostly focused on hand held experiment based teaching in Environment science. Gradually, our works with the students got well recognized and we felt a need to build a forum with the innovative teachers. Presently we give regular inputs to 12 Govt High Schools and part time inputs to 51 High Schools. One of our objectives was to make subject wise teachers network with the innovative, dynamic teachers who would share their experiences and innovative activities with others, more over they would give hand held orientations to the other teachers from different schools. Gradually the subject teacher’s networks were established on the following subjects – Work education, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English and Bengali.

            In 2009, 6 mathematics teachers from 6 different schools visited Swanirvar and they met our resource person, Swathi Sircar. They had vivid discussion on the following issues – How to run the Network, its planning and strategies, future programmes, ownership etc. From 2009 -13 many new teachers joined in that network and there were 12 interactive trainings cum workshops with the teachers who took Mathematics class in their schools. A lot of tools and TLMs ( teaching learning materials)  were developed and were successfully used in the classes.

            In 2013, Swathi joined in an University and left West Bengal. In her absence, the teachers sit for a meeting on 12^th Nov, 13. There they decided to keep the network alive and the some network members, Sujit Biswas, Bidyut Mazumder, Jahurul Haque, Kamaruzzaman, Jinnal Ali and Asadizzaman took challenging roles to continue its activities. On 7^th Jan, 14 they organized a meeting cum workshop at Swanirvar campus (in collaboration with Swanirvar), they made a number of TLMs for the class V based on the new syllabus that was being effective from Jan, 14. The next workshop will be held on 28^th Jan, 14 for making TLMs for the students of class VI.      

            Their activities and dedication for the qualitative improvements of Mathematics teaching had inspired many teachers and many new teachers from different schools visiting Swanirvar and to the schools where these TLMs were being used on regular basis. Recently, a few teachers from Gopalchalk Sorojini High School , East Medinipur visited Swanirvar and meet them.

Reported by,

Samir Biswas

9732574947

A SILENT REVOLUTION IN GOVT SCHOOL: SAHITYA SABHA IN NANDIPARA SSK SCHOOL

Profile of the NANDIPARA SSK SCHOOL:

1.      Nandipara SSK school was established in 2002, this is under Berachampa-I gram Panchayat of Deganga Block of North 24 Parganas district.

2.      121 students (class-I –IV) come from the Muslim and schedule caste families. Most of their parents are peasant, small businessman and landless labour.

3.      Most of the children are first generation learners.

Swanirvar’s interventions since 2011:

1.      All the 4 Sahayikas (teachers) got trainings from us. They got trainings on – Bengali, English, Art & Crafts for class-I & II and Mathematics for class I – IV.

2.      Teaching Learning Workshops with Teachers and resource parents.

3.      Inputs in parents meetings.

4.      Classroom inputs – Subjective and creative like Art & crafts, origami etc.

5.      Motivating Children committees, class room decoration, waste management, special day celebration etc

6.      Special trainings on dance, drama etc

Success Story:

            Now many schools in Deagnaga Block have active children committees and the students are doing many innovative activities in the schools. This was reflected in the last assessment report of Deganga block in Nov, 2013.

            Nandipara SSK is one of the SSK schools in Deganga block and mostly minority students come there. Most of their parents are poor peasant and indifferent about their children’s activities in schools. In November, 13 the children committees proposed us for organizing a Sahitya Sabha in their school. The class teachers were in a dilemma and their told us that they were also happy with that proposal but they also expressed their doubt about the caliber of children to perform. But we encouraged the children to organize the Sahitya Sabha. 42 Students (7 students- recitation, 16 students – group dance, 2 students – extempore, 17 Students – drama) were selected for different activities for the cultural fests – Sahitya Sabha.

            The students started their rehearsal at the end of the school hours and Swanirvar staff, Julkalam Ali, Biswanath Roy and Prosanto Mondal gave the necessary trainings and guidance to them. Gradually many parents came to the rehearsal and more the headmistress, Arati Ghosal took interest and also played a role in the drama show. 

            On 4^th December, 13 the Sahitya Sabha was organized. More than 100 parents and villagers, Nilangshu Gain, Coordinator, Swanirvar, Two SSK supervisors of Deganga Block, Anima Mondal and Rina Bai Talukdar, Deep Ranjani Rai, of VIBHA were present in the progranmme. The programme was very successful and it was the first time such a cultural programem was organized in the entire village. The villagers were so happy and they came to the school after the programme and expressed their gratitude to the school teachers. According to them, they thought that the rights to learn cultural activities were only to the children coming from the rich and affluent families but they were astonished to see that their grand children could do so. They also proposed for financial contribution for the next sahitya sabha. They also feel very excited as they were illiterate but their grand children were now going to schools and opting for a better tomorrow. 

Reported by,

Biswanath Roy, Swanirvar    

MASS AWARENESS & CAMPAIGNS ON RTE ACT, 09 BY THE WBEN AND ITS PARTNERS:

West Bengal Education Network (WBEN) was formed in 1996 and since inception, WBEN has tried to focus on encouraging grass root level experiments on child education and block, district and State level advocacy. Currently, WBEN has its spread over 16 districts covering all corners of West Bengal and reaching to around 750 CBOs, 56 NGOs and more than 2000 individual members based in about 410 Gram Panchayats under 126Blocks. Swanirvar is now North 24 Parganas district office of WBEN and Samir Biswas, supervisor of KKB- Youth & Culture Department is now the district convener of WBEN.

            Far the last two decade, Swanirvar is trying to To develop a need-based, locally -oriented, diversified curriculum for rural high schools. Village high school students will study their local social and physical environment; do hands-on activities to learn various subjects like history, geography, economics, civics, biology, physical science, mathematics. They would develop skills for collecting, recording, organizing, understanding and communicating information; would learn some vocational skills; socially useful productive work would be integrated into various subjects; and essential activities related to local government (Panchayat) planning would get done in the process. In 2009, RTE Act passed in the Parliament and enacted in West Bengal from April, 2010.

            With the ACT come into act, the CBOs and non-profits like us got huge scopes to start right based activities for the children and also the bring the aberrations to the notice of the education officials and school authorities.

           

Initially we and 9 others NGOs (WEBN partner organizations)  did the followings:

• ·         Mass awareness on RTE act, 2009 through- Street corners, Puppetry, Rally, Poster Pasting , Leaflet distribution etc
• ·         Extensive parents meetings in different villages of North 24 Parganas district.
• ·         Detailed dropout survey in six blocks of North 24 Parganas – Habra-II, Baduria, Hingalganj, Deganga, Habra-I, Basirhat-II, Swarupnagar, Gaighata and Hashnabad.
• ·         Detailed survey on 21 schools and matching its compatibility and need assessments as per the RTE, 09 norms
• ·         Capacity building programmes for the 28 CBOs and rural volunteers on pros and cons of RTE act.
• ·         On 19^th June, 12 , a press conference was called by the WBEN at Swanirvar office. There all the reports and our experiences were shared to the media personnel. 59 persons including 13 journalists and NGO representatives attended in that conference.
• ·         A district seminar was called on 11^th April, 13 on “District Status as per RTE act, 09”. N 24 Pgs Zila Savadipati, Bharat Das, Zila Karmadhakaya, Anowara Begam, Eminent Educationist and Teachers, Niranjan Bandhopadhay, many High School teachers, WBEN representatives from 14 Blocks of North 24 Parganas were present in that seminar. The speakers describe the ground status and also described the rights that the act enacted to ensure.
• ·         A seminar was called 24^th June, 13 on the same issue but in that seminar all the representatives of political parties were invited. There were a general discussion with them about the roles of political parties to ensure that RTE act, 09 should be enacted for the maximum benefit of the common people.7 Journalists, 16 WBEN district committee members and political representatives attended in that programme. 

Reported by,

Samir Biswas

9732574947

RAKHI UTSAB 2013 – A SWANIRVAR INITIATIVE:

            Raksha Bandhan, (the bond of protection) or Rakhi is the popular practice of Raksha Bandhan has its historical associations also. The Rajput queens practised the custom of sending rakhi threads to neighboring rulers as token of brotherhood. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. One Islamic Scholar believes that Raksha Bandhan grew in popularity after Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of Chittor, sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun when she required his help. Since Indian kinship practices give cousins a status similar to siblings, girls and women often tie the rakhi to their male cousins as well (referred to as "cousin-brothers" in regional parlance) in several communities. Unrelated boys and men who are considered to be brothers (munh-bola bhai or adopted brothers) can be tied rakhis, provided they commit to a lifelong obligation to provide protection to the woman or girl.

            Swanirvar also trying to popularized Rakhi in the Govt primary schools in Deganga, Swarupnagar and Baduria Blocks of North 24 Parganas. We give them the raw materials of Rakhi and also gave hand held trainings on Rakhi making. The students made the rakhis and later they use these in their own school on Rakhi day on 21^st August, 2013. Our main objective was to gospel brotherhood, love and humanity amongst the students through this Rakhi utsab. Another aspect was to organize a small cultural fest in each school and through this the students performed dances, drama, songs mostly composed by their own. This helped to boost up their level of creative skills. This year we gave materials to 94 Govt primary schools of Deagnaga and Baduria Blocks. Special focus was to the students of the 60 Sishu Siksha Kendra (Govt. Primary) of Deganga Blocks.  The students were either from schedule caste/ tribes families or minority families and mostly 1^st generation learner and were from the families living below the poverty line. This year we organised Rakhi in 94 Govt Primary schools in which 10712 students participated.

                

Recently new local Govt had been formed at the Gram Panchayat level. Rate of Political violence and crimes were much higher in West Bengal as compared to other states of India. This year Baduria and Deganga had seen a number of blood-sheds, crimes and vandalisms by political hooligans before and after the elections. The political leaders were motivating common people to be suspicious about the cops and even in some cases the mobs attacked the police forces and damaged their vehicles and also assaulted the policemen. To reduce the tension we also organized a RAKHI BANDHAN utsab cum small cultural programme in the campus of Baduria Police Station on 21^st August, 2013. 15 underprivileged students from different localities  of Baduria and Deganga Blocks came to Baduria Police station along with the staff and teachers of Swanirvar Primary Education department. The police officers and staff participated in that programme under the leadership of Mr. kollol Ghosh, Officer In Charge of Baduria PS. The students tied Rakhis to their hands and also performed some dance programmes in the campus. Mr. Ghosh preside the programme and also gave sweet boxes to all the students and also encouraged them to live with dignity and humanity. This was widely covered by the leading news papers of West Bengal and also the news were circulated in different TV channels.  

Reported by,

Prosanto Mondal & Julkalam Ali, Swanirvar

9732616925

SAVE WATER CAMPAIGN WITH SCHOOL STUDENTS:

          Swanirvar staff took ‘Environmental Studies’ classes in 11 High schools on regular basis. We also gave part time inputs in 51 High schools. One of the major issues we deal with them was ‘Safe drinking Water’. Our project areas are having plenty rains amongst Indian Territory. But most of the ground water is arsenic contaminated. People are dependent on Pipe-water supplied by the local Government. We started mass awareness with students on safe water, water conservation and arsenicosis. Students arranged rally and also paste posters in different village notice boards (these notice boards are used as information kiosk in villages and developed by KKB team of Swanirvar). During their survey on safe drinking water, the student noticed that major portions of supplied water were being waste during the distribution process. There were no proper stop systems and due to the lack of funnels a portion of water was being unutilized during the filling the pots.
            Students of Bhojpara BMSF institution immediately brought these to the notice of the ‘safe water committee’ run by the students of the said institute. They identified 6 water collection centers. They raised money and purchased funnels and made mass scale awareness to the villagers to stop the indiscriminate use of drinking water. Local villagers were happy with this initiative and they had reduced the misuse of drinking water. They also aware on arsenic contamination in ground water and not using those tube wells which had alarming level of arsenic contamination .
           Inspiring by this, KKB youths of Beliakhali village took major initiative in ‘safe drinking water campaign’. This village was arsenic prone village and many villagers were suffering from arsenicosis. Once the name of the village was raised the UN meeting by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on arsenic problems. Local Panchayat authority installed a number of deep tubewell in that village to ensure the supply of safe- arsenic free drinking water under the financial assistance of UNDP. One tube well was out of order and local authority was not paying attention to repair it. The students committee met the Panchayat members and got permission to repair by their own. They visited door to doors and raised funds. Finally they repaired the tube well and at present the villagers were getting safe water.

Reported By,
Sourendra Nath Sen
Swanirvar