Ensuring Right to Education of Dalit and Adivasi Children

Right To Education

Ensuring right to education of dalit and adivasi children

CADAM signed an agreement with the New Education Group Fire, popularly known as NEG-FIRE for implementing a project aiming to develop 24 Community Education Leaders, over 3 years (from 2009-2012) in the 20 villages of Teonthar, Jawa and Sirmaur block of Rewa district (Madhya Pradesh), who will work towards improving the delivery of elementary education. The project will also develop 100 (5 x 20 villages) Shiksha Sathi or Education Activists for activating the village system educationally. The project began with the appointment of the relevant staff and leaders to carry out the project-related work and bring desired results for the betterment of the children of the area. To ensure the efficient functioning of schools, CADAM decided to support the creation of NACDAOR Shiksha Samiti in every village.

Organised and collective campaigning always brings hope in favour of Dalits, Adivasis and other socially excluded groups. This is what was experienced by team members and community leaders of CADAM/NACDAOR during the implementation of Bundelkhand Shiksha Abhiyaan. CADAM/NACDAOR had been implementing Bundelkhand Shiksha Abhiyan in three districts of Madhya Pradesh and five districts of Uttar Pradesh of Bundelkhand region. Facilitating awareness programme in the villages, formation of NACDAOR Village Dalits Education Committee, Interfacing with Education Service Providers and functionaries and public campaigning and advocacy efforts on education issues helped in building pressure among government education functionaries and further it resulted into opening of new primary school in the Chanda vilage after 60 years of independence. BL Sharma, Block Education Officer, Bizawar stated that children of Chanda village were benefitting through Bridge Course. And in the coming days, they would be studying in formal Government Primary School due to progressive intervention by NACDAOR in the region. Santosh shanrma, project co-ordinator, district education centre, Chattarpur stated that new primary school would be started in Chanda villages. Two teacher positions had also been sanctioned for the school and it was expected that in 2011-2012, school infrastructure budget would get approved and school building would be constructed immediately. Sanjay Bharti, district co-ordinator, CADAM/NACDAOR expressed the need to implement Bundelkhand.

Shiksha Abhiyan with the aim of creating awareness among children of Dalits and Adivasi groups in 8 districts of Bundelkhand region. He also stated that the main objective of the project was to ensure education for the children of Dalits and Adivasi community groups, especially girls’ children and mainstreaming them with formal education with dignity and respect. Children of Adivasi groups got education in government primary school after 60 years of independence in Chanda village of Dilari Gram Panchayat of Bizawar block in Chhattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. During the course of project intervention, it came out openly that children of Chanda village were not attending any school due to absence of education infrastructure in the village. Observing the situation, Dharmendra Yadav, a volunteer started teaching 41 children of Chanda villages under Bridge Course programme. Simultaneously, the project team members of CADAM/NACDAOR approached the representatives of Block Education Department, District Education Officers and political representative of the areas and shared about the non-existence of primary school in the Chanda village. Charter of Demand for opening of primary school in the Chanda village was submitted at district Education Office and as a result, primary school of Chanda village got approved. even, positions of two teachers also got approved for the school.

Community Leadership for Right to Education In Rewa In Madhya Pradesh

CADAM is working on developing education leaders in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh ensuring the right to education of the Dalit/tribal children. In order to enhance children’s interest in learning, edu-leaders have been actively working to make the educational system in selected villages’ child-friendly. the entire intervention has created an enabling environment in the project areas by changing the attitude and thinking process among the local community to evaluate the systems in which they live, to identify the issues and concerns related to the education of children. CADAM’s intervention added joy and enthusiasm among Dalit and Adivasi children and enabled them to imagine, dream reason and make informed decisions and most importantly, live productive lives.

The non-format pre-school education component of ICDS was strengthened by regular monitoring of the functioning of Anganwadi Centres, the platform for mental and social growth of children, situated in each village. Parents of children of ag 3-6 were counselled to send their children to Anganwadi Centres regularly. Emphasis was given for coverage of girl children as parents normally do not give them scope for education.

It has built up a community monitoring mechanism by forming CELs and also creating pressure upon the government to be responsible and responsive for the proper functioning of ICDS, NRHM, NREGA and FRA. The CELs also worked in tandem with SMCs formed under SarvaSikshya Abhiyan for enduring proper functioning of the primary schools in the project area. These CELs and VELs also worked for ensuring cent per cent enrolment of boys and girls in the schools. The prevalent discrimination against Dalit children in the schools had been reduced. The project had achieved the intermediate objectives by developing 4 cluster education leaders and village education leaders from 20 villages and achieved 100% enrolment in target villages. These education leaders created pressure on the government delivery system for improved elementary education. In addition to this, this project had developed 100Shiksha Sathi or education activists for activating the village system educationally. The edu-leaders played a significant role in bringing the school and home closer to each other through the formation of a parent-teacher association. Edu-leaders promoted value-based Inclusive Education for Dalit and Adivasi children inaccessible areas of Rewa. They facilitated a relevant response and a meaningful educational process by taking into consideration the problem/situation of the Dalit and Adivasi learner and the principles of learning. The edu leaders had been visiting the home of the pupils in order to know the background of pupils and find the causes of their problems. Through such visits, the parents were being informed about the educational progress of their children and their general behaviour in the school. Furthermore, CADAM had mobilised and sensitised parents, community, Panchayat representatives, government officials and teachers to work for 100% enrollment and retention of Dalit and tribal children in the three target blocks. Finally, the rate of enrolment and retention of Dalit and Adivasi children increased in the villages. The benefits of the project reached 5 villages of Teonthar block, 5 villages of Sirmaur block and 10 villages of Jawa block of Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. It had impacted directly the lives of more than 2000 children and 1000 households mostly from SC and ST families.