This is one of APSA’s projects that cuts across various CSO constituencies, government sector and communities. Following enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Right To Education or RTE Act) of 2009, the RTE Project was conceived by APSA in 2010 to ensure compliance by the state with provisions of the Act, as urban poor in APSA working areas were being denied their right to education by schools.
At advocacy level, APSA brings to the attention of the state Department of Education public complaints on violations under the Act by schools. APSA’s presence on the Committees of the Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) Karnataka, the People’s Alliance For Right to Education (PAFRE) and the RTE Taskforce, enables us to redress injustices in access to education for children, and to push for child-friendly policies and practices in the state.
Under the RTE project, APSA works with children of 8 government schools coming from poor or single parent families, marginalized or orphan children, slow learners, orphans, children of migrants and school dropouts, as well as with government schools and local communities. No less than 10,000 children have been reached through the RTE project. Activities under the project include:
1. Remedial Classes through Learning Centres
APSA offers remedial classes through Learning Centres, with specific focus on girl children who are the most disadvantaged because of their gender. The Learning Centres enable children to be mainstreamed in age-appropriate classes in formal school. Teachers at the Centres also deliver life skills & sexual health education, sessions on evils of alcoholism, computer applications, health and hygiene and child rights. Teaching methodologies include activity-based modules, creative work and educational games. Remedial classes have benefited no less than 2,500 children till now.
2. Improving Quality of Education in Government and Aided schools
Through its collaboration with the Department of Education (Block Education Officer and other officials) and private schools, APSA enables children from marginalized communities to access education in private schools under the RTE’s 25% Reservation category. APSA works with 8 government schools in its working areas to improve the quality of education and for implementation of the RTE Act on the ground. The project involves the heads of schools, teachers and 2,500+ children. Sessions are held with them variously on child and gender rights, the importance of education, effective teaching methodologies, and role responsibilities of the school monitoring committee (SDMC). Through its interventions, APSA has enabled access to clean and safe drinking water, midday meals, uniforms, separate toilets for girls and boys, libraries, playgrounds, improved school infrastructure (buildings, classrooms, office rooms and compound walls) and government scholarships. It has also advocated with schools for inclusive education and avoiding corporal punishment to children.
3. Strengthening School Development & Monitoring Committees (SDMCs)
A School Development & Monitoring Committee (SDMC) – comprised of parents, the principal, teachers and prominent local persons & social workers – is the body in a government school that monitors the quality of teaching, infrastructure and expenditure. APSA has been working with SDMCs in 14 government schools in Bengaluru. It builds the capacities of SDMC members through awareness training and workshops on emerging issues in child rights and education, school development plans and budget tracking. Through encouraging schools to hold regular SDMC meetings and monitoring activities, APSA enables the committee to identify gaps in services and collectivizes them to lobby state duty-bearers to address these gaps. To date, APSA has given training to more than 500 SDMC members.
4. Energizing Child Rights Clubs (CRCs)
APSA believes that children have a right to participate in the discourse concerning their rights and issues. APSA facilitates formation of Child Rights Clubs (CRC) in government schools CRCs are taught to review various aspects of school functioning such as health and hygiene, quality of education, infrastructure, teaching methods, school uniforms, midday meals or RTE violations. The CRCs then approach school heads and local administration to address these issues. CRCs actively prevent illegal garbage dumping, identify children addicted to alcohol or drugs, and promote solid waste management. APSA works with 8 CRCs in schools.
5. Empowering Meena Thandas (Collectives of Girl Children)
With special focus on addressing empowerment of girl children, APSA also institutes Meena Thandas in schools. The name of these clubs originated in the story of a young girl, Meena, her love for learning, how she was kept back at home to help with chores and care of siblings and how an important incident changes the course of her life. A total of 8 Meena Thandas are being animated by APSA at present.
The RTE project equips Meena Thanda members with awareness on sexual health, hygiene, life skills, child rights, RTE and trafficking issues. Meena Thanda children participate to prevent dropout from school (especially of girls), prevent child marriages, rescue child labour through the Childline, peer-to-peer awareness education, and bringing RTE violations in schools to the notice of APSA/authorities.
6. Interface with local communities
APSA conducts area meetings, awareness and enrolment campaigns in its working areas on RTE-related issues, child rights, the role of SDMCs in government school monitoring and parental involvement in education. APSA is thus able to sensitise local communities to of the importance of education and benefits of education in government schools (in particular for girls). APSA ties up with charitable foundations and hospitals to conduct free health camps in slums, especially for mothers and children. The camps give people access to free health check-ups (including for reproductive ailments) and referral to reputed hospitals for further treatment if required, at subsidized rates or free of cost, because of APSA’s intermediation.
7. Sensitizing the Media
The media plays an increasingly important role in highlighting community and child-related issues in a responsible and gender-sensitive manner. APSA advocates with both the electronic and print media, to highlight issues of RTE violations in government schools and action taken by the community, children’s collectives or elected representatives to improving the quality of education for children.
