Project Implementation

After a series of preliminary discussions with the CEO and his colleagues, CDR submitted a project proposal to SERP for establishing ‘Community Governed Pre-Primary and Primary Schools for Tribal Children in Adilabad District’. The Project envisages assisting the community to establish 80 pre-primary schools in each of the four identified mandals in the first three years. Each school shall add a class every subsequent year till the 5th class.

SERP shall provide funds as per the approved Project Proposal. Every MNMS school shall be managed by the Parents Committee (PC) under the aegis of the federation of the women’s self help groups (SHGs) called the Village Organization (VO). Under the Project, the Mandal Mahila Samakya (MMS), a federation of the VOs, shall receive the project funds directly from SERP. It will in turn disburse the same to the VOs in accordance with the Project guidelines.

CDR will be responsible for implementing the Project. It shall facilitate rooting of all elements of community governance that are primary for the sustenance of this Project. CDR shall finalise the selection of teachers and train them. It shall be responsible for ensuring quality learning outcomes in every MNMS.

Child Centered Teaching

A child wants to learn. The MNMS Project follows the child centered approach. Every child is a bundle of irrepressible energy and boundless curiosity. Joyful, activity based methodology draws out the innate abilities of a child and makes a partner out of the pupil. Aata. Paata, Abhinayam, Kruytyam, Katha, Padyam--- the teacher and the pupil explore these teaching and learning components together with brimful of joy every day. Teacher Selection and Training The community is responsible for identifying a suitable teacher for their MNMS, preferably a Intermediate educated lady below 20years age. She should be a resident of the village and should speak the mother tongue of the MNMS children. CDR holds a test and interview to scrutinize the competencies and eligibility of all identified persons before finalizing the selection. Every selected teacher attends a foundation training course for 16 days in activity based joyful teaching and learning methodology. It includes a four-day stay in a MNMS village with the MNMS teacher. The trainee interacts with the community and learns about the important tools of community governance. In addition to the Foundation Course, every teacher is trained for two days every month in teaching of the next month’s lesson plan. There are now 110 teachers presently working in as many MNMS schools. Many of these schools are located in quite far flung tribal villages. The Director of CDR is the person in-charge of implementing the MNMS Project in consultation and cooperation from the Presidents and Members of the Mandal Samakyas, the VOs, the CEO of SERP and other MNMS colleagues. The Director heads the Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) that meets periodically to address issues related to implementation

Community Governance

• Community and Parents’ ownership form the fulcrum of the MNMS Project. There are some distinct and strong tools of community governance that are incorporated into the Project right from its inception. They have now become integral part of it. These include:
• The Pancha Theermanalu are : • First, the Community shall resolve to have a MNMS School in their village. • Second, the Community shall identify suitable teacher from within the village for the proposed MNMS School and shall finalize the salary to be paid by them to the teacher. • Third, the Community shall identify suitable premises for housing MNMS School . • Fourth, the Community shall survey and finalize the list of the 3 and 4 year old children who are eligible to join MNMS School . • Fifth, the Community shall nominate a Parents Committee of five mothers to take care of all aspects of governance of the school . • People’s ownership starts from the very beginning. Badi Panduga (Monthly Public Report Day) On the last Saturday of every month the parents and the community elders gather to receive the monthly Public Report from the MNMS teacher. We call it Badi Panduga or the festival of learning. The teacher and the pupils joyously share the learning achieved during the month with the parents and the community. The parents also scrutinize the Pupil Assessment Report for the month prepared by the teacher and discuss all aspects of it. The PC pays the salary to the teacher on the same day. The teacher documents every Badi Panduga.
• Daily Visits by the Parents Parents of two pupils (by rotation as per the school roll order) are encouraged to visit the MNMS every day for an hour at least to witness and understand the classroom interaction. Mandal Mahila Samakya (MMS) Presidents of the four MMS are active partners in implementing the project. The MMS receives the funds directly from SERP and in turn disburses it to the VOs. The Presidents and the Members of the MMS Vidya Committee visit the MNMS regularly to assess the progress of the children. They also discuss the functioning of the school with the VOs. They give constant support to the teachers. The mandal and cluster coordinators of the MNMS Project submit their monthly outcome reports to the MMS. Village Organisation (VO) and Parents Committee (PC) The VO and the PC are the key partners in community governance of the MNMS. Representatives of the individual SHGs with in the village are the members of the VO. The President of the VO by consensus constitutes the PC of the MNMS. She is also an ex-officio member of this PC. The VO prepares the Micro Credit Plan (MCP) for the parents who wish to borrow towards paying the monthly salary of the teacher and disburses the amount as a loan, accordingly. The VO is also responsible to ensure the repayment of the loan amount by the parents. The members of the PC frequently visit the school and give much needed encouragement to the teacher. They also discuss low attendance of the pupils and take up the matter with the concerned parents. They participate in the monthly Badi Panduga. The PC pays the salary to the teacher every month on Badi Panduga day only after hearing the Public Report.

Project Monitoring

Pupil attendance, teacher performance and learning outcomes are monitored every month. Monitoring is an integral part of project implementation. It is designed to encourage participatory assessment of the learning outcomes in each class room every month . This is done by the teacher who uses it as a tool for improving her own performance. Monitoring outcomes are discussed at the teachers’ support meetings held every month at the cluster and mandal levels. Special attention is paid by the cluster and mandal Coordinators to the low performing schools. Preparation and use of teaching learning material by the teachers is also closely monitored. Members of the Education Committee of the Mandal Mahila Samakya visit every MNMS every month . They interact with the teacher and the community and discuss pupils’ attendance and learning outcomes. Every MNMS conducts a festival of learning --Badi Panduga—on the last Saturday of every month. The teacher submits a pupils participatory Public Report on that day to the gathered parents and the community.

• Cluster Coordinators: The Project has one Cluster Coordinator (CC) for every 11 MNMSs on an average. Currently, there are 11 CCs working in the Project. The CC plays a very important role. They work in close coordination with the community and the parents. The CC visits all schools in the cluster at least once a week to monitor the learning outcomes. The CC facilitates the Monthly Teachers Support Meet at the cluster level. The CC acts as a supportive friend and guide of the teacher.
• Mandal Coordinators:: The Project has a Mandal Coordinator (MC) for every mandal. The MC is responsible for implementation of the project in the mandal. The MC oversees the work of the CCs and has personal rapport with the PCs. MC’s guidance, support and visits to the schools are very helpful to the teachers. S/he facilitates the Monthly Mandal Teachers Support Meet. The MC acts as a coordinator between the MMS and all others in the Project. Monitoring of the learning outcomes based on activity based joyful teaching methodology needs concerned commitment—both of the teacher and the Coordinators. CDR strives to inculcate it fully.

Board of Governors