 THEY DESERVE A BREAK

Socio-cultural needs of the children are also addressed in addition to academic instruction, for better socialisation and integration into the mainstream.

Mllions of children help their families with household work that cannot be categorised as exploitative labour. But millions more work in sweatshops, mines and in the streets. Their work drains their childhood of all joy and retards their normal mental and physical de- velopment. A ray of hope for some such children is offered by the Institute of Psychological and Educational Research (IPER), Calcutta.

IPER founded in 1971, is primarily engaged in promotion of research in psychology and education. It has also launched action- oriented welfare programmes for deprived and under-privileged children in Calcutta.

The Institute of Psychological and Educational Research (IPER) provides education services through Open learning System to street children in Calcutta. There are at present 23 Open Learning Units catering to the educational needs of more than 800 street children. Apart from imparting education to them, medical check-up and treatment of child workers is also undertaken by project doctors, who visit schools once every week. The IPER runs a clinic for this purpose twice a week. Free medicines are supplied to children and referral services arranged wherever necessary. Child workers are also provided with nutritious food such as milk, green vegetables and fruits. Indi- viduals who are victims of drug addiction also subject of concern.

A lot of groundwork is done before starting a school in a particular locality. Local participation is ensured right from the beginning. Education imparted in these schools is in conformity with the courses taught in regular schools in the State and includes teaching of Language, Arithmetic, History and Geography and Natural Science. This has been done with a view to enabling a child to join the regular school system in case he/she wishes to do so.

In place of conventional text-books, the system of lesson sheets is followed. The entire course prescribed for a particular grade is divided into a number of printed lessons (units). The lessons consist usually of two parts; exposition and testing. In the first part, the content of the subject, to be taught, is presented to children and in the second part, the attainment of children on the same content is tested. In this way, teaching, assimilation and testing are covered by each lesson.

Objectives

IMPARTING GENERAL education to these children at least upto the primary stage is high on the agenda.

PROVIDING BETTER Health care through regular medical diagnosis and keeping a check on spreading of skin infections as preventive measures as chances of these infections are more.

PROVIDING a balanced diet which would act as a supplementary nutrition and which would also help in raising the quality of health.

ARRANGING GROUP meetings and cultural gatherings which encourages the participation of these children, paving way for their better socialisation, helping in widening of their creative potential and ultimately providing a much needed home-atmosphere for these street children.

MAKING EFFORTS to improve the existing working conditions and to provide a healthy work environment for these child-workers.

PROVIDING CARE against the Physical, Social, Economic, Sexual, and Psychological exploitation of the street children.

INSTITUTE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, CALCUTTA

Educational aids, such as blackboard, models, charts, etc., are used by teachers to facilitate learning. Children are provided with lesson sheets, slates, pencils and exercise books. Classes are held in school buildings, which act as a major incentive to child workers who feel proud of going to a school.

Educators, programme masters, field workers, social workers and teachers form the resource group for the project. Teachers are given necessary training in presenting lessons to the class. Social needs of children are also addressed. In addition to academic instruction, child workers are provided with the opportunities for participation in cultural activities and for better socialisation.

At present the Institute of Psychological and Educational Research (IPER) is engaged in the setting up of "Freedom Schools for Deprived and Under-privileged Children". The idea is to take the school to those children who are not in a position to attend regular schools. Such an innovative centre will have two major components:

* educational instruction through free or open learning lessons;

* and visual presentation of educational materials through prepared video cassettes and planned television broadcasting.

Methodology

IN THE case of street children, each group, comprising of forty to forty-five children in the age-group 6-15 years, is placed under the complete charge of one contact person, who is usually a female teacher.

THE TEACHER meets the group thrice in a week at a street corner or a temporary shed. The contact person distributes the specially prepared lessons to each child in the group and explains the methodology of working out the lessons with demonstrations. The next day children hand over the worked out lessons to the teacher who checks them and then hands over new lessons to children. Progress report of each, child is maintained and follow-up is kept.

THESE CHILDREN, undergo medical check-up periodically and receive nutritious food.