By Kulsum Mustafa, TwoCircles.net,
Moradabad: Named after Prince Murad, son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Moradabad was established in 1600. Situated 167 km (104 miles) from the national capital, New Delhi, on the banks of the Ramganga River (a tributary of the Ganges) Moradabad is among the Muslim majority districts of Uttar Pradesh. Recognized globally as the leader in brassware artifacts and utensils exports, the tinsel city has its darker side – low literacy percentage.
Despite the glorious past and an enviable trade position, Moradabad, the city which has been home to famous Urdu poet Jigar Moradabadi has a present which is darkened by low literacy levels. With just 45.74 per cent literacy, it is sad truth that more than half of Moradabad is illiterate.
Things are worst in its two adjoining Muslim districts. While Badaun records a literacy percentage of 38.2 per cent, female literacy percentage is a mere 25.02 per cent. Badaun’s male literacy percentage is 49 per cent. In Rampur the overall total percentage is 38.7 per cent. Female literacy is a notch higher here at 27.9 per cent but male literacy percentage is a poor 48.2 per cent.
But things are likely to change soon as a concentrated joint effort is being made by UNICEF, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the District Institute of Educational Training (DIET) to help raise the percentage of literacy in Uttar Pradesh. Moradabad is one of the nine districts where Project ‘Ahvaan’ prepared for low literacy districts in Uttar Pradesh government schools is being introduced. The other eight districts include Rampur, Badaun, Gonda, Sidhartnagar, Maharajganj, Sonebhadra, Lalitpur and Sitapur.
“A child-friendly classroom and a community supported school programme is the basis of this project for all government schools. Through Ahvaan, the clarion call, we are alerting, inviting, waking up society to a sense of belonging and accountability,” is how Mr. Vinoba Gautam, education specialist, UNICEF, described Ahvaan. Once the community accepts the school as their own they will become responsible for its progress.
The UNICEF officer said that many of the successful educational innovations, which formed part of an earlier module ‘Aadhar’(foundation), implemented in 2007-08 in 21 districts of the state with the help of UNICEF forms the basis of Ahvaan. These innovations include making classrooms colorful through educative displays, brightly painted walls, low tables and blackboards, models, paintings made by the teacher and the students jointly. Another big move is to have Bal Sansad or Children’s Parliament. Children choose their own prime minister, and ministers for various activities like environment, sanitation, library etc.
Little initiatives like wishing a child on his birthday is adding upto a lot of interest in the children. A huge chart with a cake and candle printed in the centre occupies the pride of place in each school. On the chart are listed the birthdays of each child. a day in advance. Each child on his/her birthday is asked to step out and stand in front of the assembly. He is given blessings by the teachers while the school sings happy birthday song for him. The happiness on the face of the child cannot be described in words.
“I had never been wished like this before at home. It feels lovely” says Samina, a child labor, enrolled in labor department last August.
Besides, each classroom has a wall where the children can measure their height. Cut-outs of alphabets, numbers, animals, fruits, vegetables hang from the ceiling. Children learn maths by counting beads. Details about India’s freedom movements, mountains, safety traffic rules, cosmos theory,
“We are confident that a planned and sustained effort to create classrooms that attract children and sensitization of parents to the vital need for getting their child educated will go a long way in checking drop-outs, creating a bond between teachers and taught,” said Mr. Gautam.
Ahvaan is being introduced here, like in other eight districts in a phased manner. UNICEF hopes that by 2011-2012 they will be able to cover all the government and labor department primary schools under the project.
But initially UNICEF has zeroed in on 50 per cent government and labor department schools. In Moradabad there are 48 government and 40 labor department primary schools.
A special training has been provided to teachers in class-room decoration, and in forming Parents’, Teachers Associations in each school. Both these are mandatory for every Ahvaan school.
“The children eagerly participate in preparing special charts, three-dimensional models along with us. There is now a sense of pride and ownership,” said Ms Fakira Laiq who runs a centre at Asalatpura for child labors in her house. According to Neelofar Khan, in charge of another such centre, while the work is wonderful the remuneration is very less. “The incharge gets Rs 1500 and accountant Rs 1500, the helper Rs 800, this is too less. Moreover the payments are never made monthly but after 10 to 12 months. In between we are also asked to send our teachers for training but no money is paid for transportation,” she said.
The problem is genuine and the labor department officials acknowledge it but they say they have no immediate solution to offer. They only hope that the success of Ahvaan programme will help change things and if nothing at least the payments become systemized.
One can only say amen to that. The project aims to help the teacher create an attractive environment in the class based on equity. It is essential that they get a fair deal first. They will then ensure that community; teachers and children evaluate their work and together try to work towards bringing about a positive change in their lives.
[Photo by gcsd.files.wordpress.com]