 A FAREWELL TO DARKNESS

Rural working children need an educational process which is innovative in nature, so that their interests are sustained in attending school. Obviously then, the timings of the school will have to suit the learning needs of such children who come from families which cannot afford to send them to school during the day. The concept of night schools therefore becomes crucial for the success of any educational programme reaching to these children.

The SWRC Tilonia began such an experiment as far back as 1975. The teachers were selected from amongst the local rural youth who were committed to the development of their village and had a keen desire to work with children.

The teachers were trained to develop skills in communicating with the children and acquire a sense of child-centred teaching. The curriculum was based on what was relevant to the children's immediate environment and what would specifically be useful to them in their day-to-day life. Subjects like Mathematics, Hindi, Social Studies, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Science were rid of the theoretical prose of mainstream education. The children were taught about political structures and the relevance of development structures to their lives. Vocational training in handicrafts, solar electrification, ground water surveys, motor winding and other areas provided the children with additional skills that could be employed to supplement the income they received from traditional occupations.

SWRC Tilonia has since expanded its education programme in remote villages of Silora Block, Ajmer Dis-

S W R C, TILONIA

trict, Rajasthan. Today, over 3000 children attend these schools. Over 60% of the students constitute girls. During the day, the children herd goats and cattle, attend to household chores, are involved in agricultural operations or look after their younger sib- lings. SWRC, Tilonia's approach to education is different. The night schools are places of discovery for both the children and the teacher, and the focus is on learning rather than teaching and the process dynamic, as it should be.

Replicability of the model has been an important consideration. The night school experiment needed to be replicated in other areas which are remote and backward, where working children have no access to primary education. Even if there are primary schools, their timings are such that the working children are unable to attend them. This project is the first such attempt at providing primary education to rural working children living in very remote and inaccessible areas. The framework in which the night schools operate vary ac- cording to regional and area specificities. All the organisations which are part of this project have proven experience of working with the communities and not for them. Some of them have already been working in

the area of non-formal education for a number of years and have their own experience and wisdom to guide them.

Replication exists in the spirit with which the concept of the night schools was formed:

* That the teacher be an unemployed youth from the village in which the school is located.

* That the quality of the education be child- centred.

* That the focus be on girl's education.

* That the curriculum be relevant to the child's environment and specific to her/his life.

* That the village community be participants in the entire process.

The experiment is being replicated by 11 organisation spread over Rajasthan, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh,

Village Education Committee

IN ALL the schools that have started functioning, Village Education Committees (VEC) have been formed which look after the day to day running of these schools.

THE VILLAGE Education Committees comprise of four to seven members, mainly women, men and village elders. So far, about 121 VECs have been formed. These committees meet at least once a month and are directly involved in the functioning of the schools. One or two of the projects have seen it fit to have only women in their VECs due to their high level of participation. Training has been conducted for members of the VECs to enhance their understanding of local issues and also to handle their accounts. In some areas the VECs are taking up local level issues and seeking solutions to them.

S W R C, TILONI

Social Welfare Research Centre, Tilonia's approach to education is different. The night schools are places of discovery for both the children and the teacher, the focus is on learning rather than teaching and the process dynamic, as it should be.

Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. These organisations running 114 schools have proven experience of working with the communities.

This project makes extensive use of creative visual media.The use of puppetry and street theatre to reach out to the masses has been a major means of communication employed by this project. Puppet making has been a part of the training of the teachers. The use and process of making of masks is also taught to the teachers. Besides, the children are also encouraged to conceptualise and perform street plays based on various issues.

This has resulted in regular puppet shows and street plays have been staged in the villages, which have ensured a high level of people's participation and interest. These media have proved to be very people friendly and have brought in tremendous impact, especially in areas that are totally new.

The project involves an ongoing process of monitoring and evaluation. The Core Team meetings act as interim evaluation of the project.

Many of the project schools have already started libraries at the schools which are encouraging the students and the teachers to inculcate reading habits. Books have been sourced out so that they pan be translated into all the languages and provided at the schools. Such efforts have contributed in making this project a fulfilling experience.

Administrators in the Making

A NOVEL feature of the project is the educating of children about the local administrative structures such as the Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and the development block and also about the state legislature and the parliament and their role and functions.

ELECTIONs HAVE been held for Bal Panchayats where the children go through the whole process of electing their representatives both at the village level and block level. At some places, it has also been possible to hold elections for the Bal Sansad (Children's Parliament.)

THE WHOLE exercise makes, the process very lively, activates and stimulates the intellect of the children countributing towards the overall development of these children. It was found that the children take the whole process quite seriously. The children who were elected are taking

their job very seriously. They are constantly identifying the needs of the school and sometimes the village also.

THE WHOLE process is very heartening because the other children are constantly evaluating the work of their elected representatives. One hopes that this spirit will continue.