ECC Campaign Status in August 2012

'Every Child Counts' campaign has initiated an ongoing 'survey--admission--follow-up' activity since last year. Efforts are being taken in order to bridge the gap between children and schools. The campaign team, along with citizen volunteers, has been trying to find out children, who need help in reaching schools. Most of the children not getting enrolled in schools, are from migrant labour families. So far, ECC has conducted survey at more than 700 locations where migrant labourers are found. (It is estimated that total number of such locations in Pune would be more than 2,000!) Out of these 700+ locations, around 450 had children who needed help in reaching schools.

Till August 2012, ECC could enrol around 600 children in schools across Pune city. However, it is observed that only 400 are attending schools regularly. Why are these 200 children still away from school? Here's a quick analysis by ECC:

1. A child of 6 or 7 years age cannot travel/walk/ride to school on its own. It needs some escort for daily commute. Preferably, this escort should be the child's parents, which is hardly possible in case of labourers working on daily wages. (Forget about child's basic psychological need of being with mother or father during its initial exposure to external world!)
Statistics: Out of 400, less than 10 children are being escorted to school by parents. Around 100 children have to walk to the school on their own or in groups.

2. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Education Dept (Shikshan Mandal) of PMC have committed to provide transport facility to children in question. However, the management and logistics part (finding a local van or rickshaw, identifying and verifying needy children, supervising daily transport activity, actual payments and reimbursements, etc) has held back the scheme till date.
Statistics: With the help of few concerned school staff members, close to 130 children are getting benefitted by some or the other means of transport (but with no assured provisions for entire year).

3. As an integral part of taking every child to school, ECC decided to make transport provisions on immediate basis, wherever required. Focus was shifted from new admissions to continuity of already admitted children. Local vans or rickshaws were identified by volunteers and field staff, and transport started at very non-standard rates. It is becoming difficult to arrange funds for everyday transport expenses. Not sure how many days ECC can transport these children. (And more than 50% admissions are still pending...)
Statistics: Around 150 children are using transport facility by ECC, since June 2012. Vans and rickshaws are charging anywhere between Rs.400 and Rs.800 per child per month. (PMC estimate on school transport is Rs.300 per child per month. Daily management and follow-up with rickshaw-wallas is a different story altogether...)

What are possible solutions?

1. Parents taking interest in child's education & attendance in school. THE BEST, but most difficult solution!
2. Schools and PMC arranging daily transport of children living away from school. Schools need to be empowered (financially and resourcefully) for handling this activity.
3. Local citizens volunteering to arrange and monitor the transport (and escort, if possible) on daily basis. A group of concerned senior citizens, professionals, students, ladies, can help the children reach school everyday, safely and surely.

The 'survey--admission--follow-up' process will have to be continued till every child gets its right to education. The campaign is a citizens' initiative. It believes in every citizen's contribution. And it believes - every child counts!

Project "Grow with Books"

School Intervention Program -- Project "Grow with Books": Door Step School works with Municipal Schools to conduct 90 minute reading classes in the primary schools. The goal of this program is to enhance reading capabilities of the children and improve overall educational performance of the children. 145,000 children have benefited through these programs over the last 5 years.

DSS in Textbook of Std-11

Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Pune has included a lesson on Door Step School in the English textbook 'Yuvakbharati' for Standard 11.

(Please click on the images to zoom)

Volunteering Opportunities with ECC

The 'Every Child Counts' campaign started school admissions from 15th of June 2012. Children surveyed till June are being enrolled in nearest PMC schools. Since the target group belongs to migrant labour families, it is difficult to declare the survey activity as 'complete'. With new constructions coming up in the city every day, more number of migrant labour and their children can be found everywhere. Hence, the survey--admission--follow-up activities will go on in different areas of Pune. Looking at the scope of work, ECC needs many more volunteers to contribute in their own area. Volunteers can participate in following ways:

1. Follow-up of children enrolled through ECC campaign: Sites and schools will be assigned to volunteers, based on their location. They can visit the school on Saturday or visit the sites in morning/evening time (or on Sunday) to track attendance of the children. Any difficulty/problem can be reported back to campaign team for further action.

2. Conduct extra-curricular activities at schools on Saturday: Depending on skills and availability of volunteers, activities like story-telling, art and craft, painting, etc. can be planned at PMC schools or Door Step School construction site classes.

3. Help in making teaching aids: Some of the volunteers can visit DSS training center to learn making teaching aids. Volunteer groups can then plan this activity on Sundays for all other volunteers at their own locations.

4. Write about own experience: Volunteers involved in survey and admission activities can write about their experiences. We will share them with other volunteers, will publish on blog, and will try to send to newspapers. Volunteers can also help by spreading the word about ECC campaign and immediate needs like transport and follow-up.

Please write to us if you want to join the campaign and help children get their right of education!