1

CUTS Centre for Human Development (CUTS CHD)

Participation and Action towards Community Empowerment

Quarterly E-Newsletter

Volume 4, No. 4 October-December 2008

Quality Issues inElementary EducationCUTS Centre for Human Development (CUTS CHD), with support from Save the

Children, UK, is implementing ‘Improving the Quality of Elementary EducationProject (IQEEP)’ in 27 government schools in 25 villages of Chittorgarh district ofRajasthan. The project aims to improve the quality of education in 27 schools andensure increased participation of stakeholders including children in educationplanning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Defining Qualityof Education

Among the ways of measuringquality in education, the concept

of quality is linked to the effectivenessof teaching-learning processes.Quality is a relative concept and notsomething that is absolute. Oneuseful approach could be to select arange of educational indicators thatare explicit and measurablerepresenting various facets of quality.

The National Policy on Education,1986 (revised in 1920) reiterated theurgency to address the quality concernsin schools on priority basis. Among thestudies on quality of education, oneconducted in Kerala in late 1990sreveal that management of the schoolis not an influencing factor forimproving quality, while infrastructure,availability of teaching-learningmaterials are sufficient catalyst.

l ‘Powered to Grow’

l Improving Hand Hygiene

l CHD Representations

I N S I D E

Parents MeetingParents meetings was one of the prime

activities of IQEEP. The meetings wereheld in project villages to discussproblems of child education and bringparents on the same dais to discuss theproblem of quality education and find away to address it. It was found thatparents are not concerned about theirchild’s education and their role in schooleducation development plan has beenfound missing. Parents barely follow upthe progress of their child’s education andhardly visit schools. However, they assuredto take care of their children’s education.

School Development & MonitoringCommittee (SDMC) meeting

CUTS CHD has taken initiative tostrengthen School Development &Monitoring Committee (SDMC) of all 27project schools. These committees havebeen formed by the administration toadminister the progress of education inschools but are inactive. In order to revivethe SDMCs, meetings were held in IQEEPvillages to interact with the SDMCmembers and discuss the problem ofquality education. The intension was tomake SDMC members accountabletowards their responsibilities so that levelof education could be enhanced.

Teachers’ TrainingUnder the project, CUTS CHD organised a one-day Orientation-cum-Training

Workshop for school headmasters and teachers of the target schools at the Centre’spremises on November 21, 2008, with an aim to orient about the quality education andrequest them to cooperate in successful implementation of the project. Narmada Bhawe,Additional District Education Officer (Primary), attended the programme and urgedthe participants to extend their cooperation with CUTS.

During the programme, sessions were held on ‘Behavioural Change Communicationand Attitude’. Amit Chowdhury of CUTS CHD delivered a lecture on human attitudeand behavioural change communication. Kiran Acharya, Secretary-Helping HandSociety, Nimbahera took a session on ‘Need for Quality Education’. Abha Mehta,Senior Lecturer, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Chittorgarhdelivered a lecture on teaching techniques. In the end, there was an open sessionduring which participants shared their problems and actively participated in thediscussion on quality education. Participants agreed that teachers are also responsiblefor continuous deterioration of quality education. However, it was found that becauseof heavy non-school related workload that has been asked by the governmentdepartments, teachers have limited time to spend with students.

Animators TrainingA two-day Training-cum-Monthly Meeting was held on November 27-28, 2009, in

which 23 out of 25 animators participated. The purpose of the programme was toreview the progress of the project and provide more inputs on child-related issues. Asession on HIV/AIDS was also held.

Amit with School Teachers during the Teacher's Training

2

PROGRAMMES & INTERVENTIONS

Bhilwara NABARD PIMC MeetingNABARD, Bhilwara Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC)

meeting was held at Panchayat Samiti Hall, Mandalgarh, Bhilwara on December 18,2009 in which HS Shekhawat, District Development Manager (DDM)-NABARD,Bhilwara; JL Suthar, Lead District Manager (LDM), Bank of Baroda, Bhilwara; GSJohari, Chief Manager, Bank of Rajasthan; MK Gupta, Bank of Rajasthan; AK Kathuria,Manager, Baroda Rajasthan Grameen Bank, Barundni; and ML Rathore, Manager,Baroda Rajasthan Grameen Bank attended the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of NABARD funded SHGproject. Amit Chowdhury, CUTS Coordinator updated the committee representativesabout the project. Shekhawat explained participants about NABARD SHGs work andappreciated CUTS’ initiative.

‘Powered to Grow’

CUTS with the support ofthe Norwegian Agency

for Development Cooperation(NORAD) is undertaking aninitiative over two years (2008-2010) in Nepal, Bangladesh,and two states of India (WestBengal and Rajasthan) to buildcapacity of consumer groups/civil society organisations(CSOs) to enable them to dealwith the issues involved,take-up action research, shareexperiences, and carryout advocacy with policymakers and regulatory agencies to effectpro-consumer changes in the electricity regulatory/policy processes. The project is beingimplemented in association with local partner organisations across project territories.

Under the project, Grassroots Interface Meetings (GIMs) were organised in each ofthe project territories. CUTS CHD organised a GIM at the Centre on December 11, 2008.The purpose of the meeting was to appreciate the role played by different stakeholdersin electricity reforms and pass on the advocacy skills to them to enhance the efficiencyto continue their good work.

Role of Micro Credit in Poverty Alleviation

CUTS CHD is implementing two projects in Bhilwara and Chittorgarh districts on micro credit for poverty alleviation toensure socio-economic development and enhance livelihood security in rural areas. The projects are being funded by the

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).Under the project, Self Help Groups (SHGs) meetings were regularly held at Gangrar, Nimbahera & Chittor blocks of

Chittorgarh district and Mandalgarh, Banera & Suwana blocks of Bhilwara district. Local banks were contacted andassistance was sought in opening SHG bank accounts. Problems related to some banks of Bhilwara were sorted after consultinghigher authorities.

EnhancingEnvironmentalAwareness

CUTS CHD, in association withCUTS Centre for Consumer

Action, Research & Training (CUTSCART) and with the support ofMinistry of Environment & Forests(MoEF), Government of India isimplementing a project entitled,‘National Environment AwarenessCampaign’ (NEAC) to createenvironmental awareness. The centreorganised a workshop on November15, 2008 at its premises in whichrepresentatives from 20 schoolsselected under NEAC projectattended. The purpose of theworkshop was to guide participantsin completing the project plan andcollect judicial stamp papers.

Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee meeting

Disscusion was held in detail onproblems related to account opening ofloan recovery. During the meeting, DDM,NABARD and LDM, Bhilwara requestedCUTS to help banks in recovering theloan amount, while requesting banks tohelp CUTS in its work.

Chittorgarh NABARD PIMC MeetingNABARD, Chittorgarh PIMC meeting

was held at CUTS CHD on December 22,2009. Sudhanshu Kumar, DDM-NABARD, Chittorgarh; NK Sanidhya,LDM, Bank of Baroda, Chittorgarh;Mathura Prasad, Managing Director,Cooperative Bank, Chittorgarh; and AKSurana, Manager, State Bank of Bikanerand Jaipur, Chittorgarh attended themeeting.

The purpose of the meeting was toreview the progress of NABARD fundedSHG project in which CUTS CHD staffupdated committee members about theproject. The committee suggested to startinter-loaning among group members andassured full cooperation in opening bankaccounts. The committee members alsosuggested drawing a plan for livelihoodopportunities for SHG members.

A View of the RESA Workshop

3

ACTIVITIES AT THE GRASSROOTS

Assessing Learning SkillsAnnual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2008 survey

training was organised at CUTS CHD on October 17-21, 2008.The purpose of the ASER survey was to assess the learninglevel of school going students. CUTS CHD is one of partners incarrying out the survey for Pratham, Rajasthan in Chittorgarh.The survey was carried out in 30 villages of Chittorgarh district.In all, 30 volunteers participated for the survey work.

Improving Hand HygieneTo mark the International Hand Wash Day, CUTS CHD

organised a function at Government Primary School inRaghunathpura village of Chittor block of Chittorgarh districton October 15, 2008, in which children were told about theimportance of washing hands with soap before eating and afterusing toilet.

As a pilot project under the Sarwa Sikhsha Abhiyan, UnitedNations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) along with Government ofIndia has taken initiative to sensitise community about theimportance of hygienic life and washing hands before eatingand after using toilet. UNICEF has declared October 15, 2008 asthe ‘International Hand Wash Day’.

An Aware Consumer is an AssetTo mark the National Consumer Day, a consultation

workshop with the support of District Supply Office (DSO),Chittorgarh was organised at CUTS CHD on December 24, 2008.The theme for the consumer day was ‘Sajag Upbhokta,Surakshit Upbhokta’.

Samit Sharma, District Collector, Chittorgarh requestedparticipants to support the consumer movement of CUTS. Whilespeaking on the use of generic medicines, he laid stress on its

consumption. He shared his plan to develop Chittorgarh asmodel district. DSO gifted a sewing machine to Hussain Bibi, aphysically challenged woman to start her own enterprise. Variousconsumer issues were discussed by other participants.

The District Supply Office awarded Bhagwan Lal Sharmaand Vishnu Kumar Kumawat (Social workers), Ravi Jadhav(District Supply Office), Amit Chowdhury (CUTS) and GirirajPrasad Gupta (Member, District Consumer Forum) for theirvaluable contribution in helping consumers to get justice.

Drive Against Alcohol AbuseIn an effort to create awareness among community about

the ill effects of alcohol and for protecting youth from theconsequences of consumption of alcohol, Dainik Bhaskarlaunched a statewide campaign warning the youth against therisks of abuse.

Admission to SchoolIn the parents meeting at Rithola village under Devri

Panchayat, Sunita Kumari complained that althoughrepresentatives from NGOs persuaded her to send herdaughter to school, her daughter was denied admission inthe school. In response, Neetu Joshi of CUTS met with theschool principal in this regard, who, after listening to thecomplaint, informed that the daughter of Sunita Kumari didnot attend school regularly, and if her parents ensure that shewould go to school regularly, the school would admit her. CUTSCHD staff made contact with girls’ parents and requested themto send her to school regularly. Sunita was taken back after herparents assured to send her to school regularly.

‘No’ to Child MarriageWhat Durga Kumari, president of the Bal Panchayat of

Ghaghsa village in Chittorgarh district did was an exemplary step.She defied the age-old tradition of child marriage plaguingRajasthan, in general, and Chittorgarh, in particular. When oneday, Durga came to know that her father has invited groom’s relativefor her marriage, she appeared before them and clearly said thatshe was not ready for marriage, as she did not attain the marriageableage. Durga Kumari also vowed not to allow any such marriage inher village. Along with guests, her father got angry with her opendefiance, but after CUTS staff approached Durga’s father, herelented and decided not to marry his daughter. Because of CUTS’effort, the life of the teenager has been saved from being ruined.

Successful Advocacy

The newspaper requested CUTS CHD to join hands in theadvocacy campaign for Chittorgarh. Two campaigns againstalcoholism were organised in Rithola village on December 20,2008 and Ghatiawali village with women SHG on December 21,2008 respectively. More than 100 women joined hands andvowed to work against alcoholism.

Polio Eradication InitiativeA campaign to support polio eradication was organised in

Government Primary School, Rithola on December 20, 2008. Thepurpose of the campaign was to spread message of NationalPolio Vaccination Day scheduled for December 21, 2008 andrequest parents to visit polio booths with their kids for poliodrops. A polio booth was opened at CUTS CHD premises onDecember 21, 2008. CUTS CHD staff helped governmentvolunteers during the immunisation programme.

Sumit Sharma, District Collector, Chittorgarh duringNational Consumer Day

Campaign Against Liquor

4

l Amit Chowdhury and Madan Giri Goswami metChief Executive Officer, Zila Parishad, Bhilwara forSwarn Jayanti Swa-Rojgar Yojna (SJSY)-SHGprogramme on October 14, 2008. CEO requestedCUTS to take responsibility of implementing SHGproject in Bhilwara district.

l Madan Lal Keer attended a training programmeon project management for Mother NGO partnersorganised by the State Reproductive Child Health(RCH) office, Rajasthan and Regional ResourceCentre-Voluntary Health Association of India (RRC-VHAI), New Delhi at Jaipur, on October 16, 2008.

l Prashanto Baakshi attended a state levelconsultation meeting on ‘Child SurvivalEnvironment in Rajasthan’ organised by Save theChildren-Bal Raksha (SC-BR) at Jaipur, onNovember 05, 2008. The purpose of the meetingwas to provide an opportunity to share recentinitiatives taken by relevant governmentdepartments, international NGOs and CSOs andindividuals, in improving the status of child survivalin the state.

l A team of nine people from Apeksha Homoeo Society,Amrawati, Maharashtra and 25-member team including16 children from TAAL, Dhar, Madhaya Pradesh visitedCUTS CHD on October 01-04, 2008 and October 14-16,2008 respectively to view the work of CUTS’ Bal Panchayat.

l SH Shekhawat, AGM-NABARD, Bhilwara visited SHGs inMandalgarh block to interact with animators and SHGleaders and monitor the progress of SHG activities. Hepromised to extend full cooperation from NABARD forlivelihood support.

l Pratap Singh Mehta with his wife Shel Mehta and sisterUrmila Mehta visited CUTS CHD on November 13, 2008.Pratap Singh appreciated CUTS’ work and wished forsuccess in its effort to establish a trouble free society.

l Two teams from CECOEDECON: 32 animators fromDungarpur and 59 animators and field workers from Jaipur

CHD REPRESENTATIONSl Amit Chowdhury and Madan Giri Goswami met District Education

Officer (Elementary), District Education Officer (Secondary) andAdditional District Education Officer (Sarwa Sikhsha Abhiyan), atChittorgrah, on November 06, 2008 to request for issuing lettersto local schools to cooperate with CUTS in promoting qualityeducation.

l Amit Chowdhury and Madan Lal Keer met Principal, DIET,Chittorgarh on November 21, 2008 to discuss issue of qualityeducation. The Principal was briefed about the IQEEP project andthe Centre’s plan to carry out a research work on ‘Role of DIET inPromoting Quality Education’ and also invited to conduct a sessionon quality education during the workshop on November 21, 2008for headmasters and teachers of IQEEP villages.

l Amit Chowdhury and Lokendra Pandya met HS Shekhawat,Assistant General Manager (AGM)-NABARD, Bhilwara onNovember 27, 2008 and updated him about progress of NABARDSHG project.

l Amit Chowdhury and Lokendra Pandya met SK Shaw, RegionalManager, Baroda Rajasthan Grameen Bank, Bhilwara onDecember 01, 2008. SK Shaw requested CUTS to organisetraining for his bank staff on Behavioral Change Communication,Attitude, Positive Thinking, Good Governance and SHG concept.

VISITORSvisited CUTS CHD on November 17 & 23, 2008 respectively.The purpose of their visit was to interact with SHG and BalPanchayat members and know about the activities.

l Prithvi Singh Mehta and Darshana Mehta visited CUTS CHDon December 23, 2008. They were briefed about theCentre’s activities and Darshana Mehta was requested totake a session on stress management for CUTS CHDstaff for which she provided her consent.

l Olivia, her husband Frederic and his parents visited CHDon December 13, 2008. They appreciated CUTS work andwished for success in its effort.

l Samit Sharma, District Collector, Chittorgarh, Giri RajPrashad, President, District Consumer Forum, and JaiPrakash, Agarwal, DSO-Chittorgarh visited the Centreduring the National Consumer Day function on December24, 2008.

PACE, E-Newsletter: Published by CUTS Centre for Human Development (CHD), Rawala, Senti, Chittorgarh 312 025, Rajasthan, IndiaPhone: 91.1472.241 472, Fax: 91.1472.240 072, E-mail: chd@cuts.org, Website: www.cuts-international.org

Head Office: Consumer Unity & Trust Society, D-217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302 016, India, Phone: 91.141.228 2821, Fax: 91.141.228 2485Email: cuts@cuts.org, Website: www.cuts-international.org