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A supplementary education project in Kutch, Gujarat, shows how meaningful education is possible despite the limitations of the state-managed education system
Babulal Manibhai Yogi (42) is a teacher at Fatehgadh's Government High School, Kutch district, Gujarat. In his own words, his interest in teaching is "100 to 110 per cent"; his claim is reinforced by his students, with whom he is very popular. In July 2002, he (along with several other teachers of state-run schools in Rapar block) received transfer orders. In Yogi's case the transfer implied a move to a village about 70 km from Fatehgadh. Scores of Fatehgadh's schoolchildren - whom Yogi taught - with the support of parents in the village community, protested Yogi's transfer. They refused to go to school till the order was withdrawn, and nine children presented their demand before the District Education Officer in Bhuj. After 11 days, Yogi was told he could continue in Fatehgadh. "I was so happy, I felt as if I'd received an award from the President of India," says the teacher. What is it that made the children this aware and this active? Apart from a high regard for their teacher, a supplementary education programme -- called the Child to Child (CTC) programme -- made it possible for the children to assert themselves constructively. With support from Save the Children UK, the CTC programme was implemented through 12 structured children's groups consisting of over 400 members, formed in nine schools in Rapar taluka (block). The implementing NGOs include YUVA (Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action), GSS (Gram Swaraj Sangh) and Samerth. CTC was introduced with the aim of encouraging the participation of children in the health, nutritional and general rehabilitation of village communities following the devastating January 2001 earthquake in Gujarat. CTC provided children in these groups with an environment to express their hopes and aspirations on matters related to gender and caste, dignity and rights, violence, abuse and exploitation; to receive training and exposure, participate in surveys; and to influence community decisions constructively. The Fatehgadh CTC group was formed towards the end of March 2002. Initially, the group attracted only boys, the girls were much too hesitant. But today, there are three groups -- a total of 118 children, and 20 of these are girls. According to the provisional census of 2001, the literacy rate in Rapar is 80.21% for males and 58.21% for females. Rekha Ben (Yogi's wife) who could not study beyond Class 6, is very happy to see girls participating in CTC activities in Fatehgadh: "If one girl comes, she'll bring another, yet another girl will bring one more and so their numbers go up." Following an exposure trip to Ahmedabad in August last year, nine Fatehgadh children started a ripple in their village, the tiny waves of which are still flowing. With Yogi's help and his home as headquarters, 43 students launched a Bachat (savings) Bank on August 15. Today, the bank has 86 members, 19 of them girls. Bhavna of Class 9 is the manager, while two boys fulfil the responsibilities of cashier and treasurer. The Bachat Bank functions by an evolving set of rules framed by the children with help from their teacher or YUVA. Each child member has a personal account and the bank deposits its monthly collection in the local post office. With about Rs 35,000 (1US$=Rs 48) already in, the children aim to collect Rs 100,000 by Diwali in October 2003. Several boys have given up their gutka (tobacco-chewing) habit, and are saving instead. Having been through the earthquake, the children realise the importance of saving up for a family emergency. Future plans include setting up a fund through which a loan could be given to boys or girls (after Class 10) who want to start a small enterprise, join a vocational training course or study further. The Fatehgadh CTC children also engage themselves in planting trees, addressing the community's water problems, improving basic health and hygiene within the family, questioning existing gender equations, sorting out problems within themselves, and enabling their younger siblings. Their confidence and enthusiasm is apparent -- while Bhavna is toying with the idea of a career in banking, Jigar revels in the role of a cashier. Most of the children would like more out-of-town exposure trips. It would be a mistake to assume that the Fatehgadh CTC children are moving only from strength to strength. Both the children and Yogi (like other teachers) work within the limitations of the state-managed school education system -- poor teaching methodologies, inadequate staff, absentee teachers, uncooperative principals, inadequate infrastructure and so on. Despite these limitations, however, CTC has provided a much-needed fillip to the children's creative potential. Besides, the children's involvement with key issues of community development and gender equity demonstrates clearly that school education must be relevant to their daily lives. And when a programme encourages this to happen, meaningful learning occurs without much ado. -- Tripta Batra (Women's Feature Service)
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