The Hindu : Bringing children to the classroom

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 23, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Bringing children to the classroom

By G.V. Ramana Rao

VIJAYAWADA May 22. At an young age of 13, Srinu is a major asset to his family. He earns about Rs. 70 a day, transporting loads on his cycle-rickshaw. His father, who began his career at a mechanic shop at Autonagar as a child, is sure that sending his son to school is a gross waste of time. Srinu will be a misfit and a burden on the family if he is sent to school, he feels. Srinu's attempt to go to school is discouraged by members of his family. His aged grandparents too have opposed it. He is now shy of going to school because he has to study with children much younger than him.

His hopes of getting educated were rekindled, when field staff of Navajeevan Bala Vikas Kendra in Autonagar told him that by attending `Sarva Sikshana Abyan' bridge school he could cover all lost years in just 100 days and get himself admitted to a class with students of his age. Krishna district is one of the four districts in the State that has been selected by the Central Government for implementation of the programme.

The District Collector, B.R. Meena, said, according to a survey, eight per cent of children in the school-going age (five to 14 years) were staying away from schools. Under the bridge school programme, these children should be brought back to the school by the end of the stipulate three months. As per the statistics, about 53,000 children in the school-going age were staying away from school in the district. In the first phase, 17,500 children were admitted to 690 bridge schools this year. In the next couple of years, the rest of the children would also be tutored in these bridge schools and joined in the regular schools by the end of the summer vacation.

Mr. Meena said the programme did not end with just the 100 days. About 700 education volunteers and other officials would monitor the progress of the children who passed out of bridge schools. Education volunteers working in bridge schools were paid monthly wages and children were being given a boiled egg and curd rice as snacks. Children study from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and then go home.

The district administration prepared three primers for children of different age groups. Children were grouped together on the basis of the primers and taught to read and write. Slates and books were also provided under the programme.

The additional project coordinator, Sriram Murthy, said the ratio of one teacher for every 20 children was being maintained in the bridge schools to ensure that students get more attention. Education volunteers were running 34 centres in the city and non-governmental organisations like Navajeevan Bala Bhavan were running another 30 bridge schools in the city.

N. Nagalakshmi, teacher at the bridge school being run by Navajeevan, said that she was not using the primers prepared by the Government. She found that she could teach more effectively using non-formal teaching methods for younger children and regular textbooks for older children.

Mr. Jayaraj, another teacher, said over 100 students from the bridge school would be ready for admission to regular schools. But, the Sanathnagar Mandal Parishad school was already over crowded. This would have an impact on the drop out rate, he said.

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