Monday, May 9, 2016

SOME SUGGESTIVE ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE LEARNING OF THE CHILDREN

The State is conducting in-service teacher training under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan through SCERT, DIETs and District Project Offices. During last two years, the State has conducted series of in-service teacher trainings for 1536 teachers teaching in Classes I & II, 3468 teachers teaching Classes III to V and 372 teachers teaching mathematics and science in Classes VI to VIII on “Teaching through Activities”. The sole purpose of these trainings is to equip the teachers to teach the children through activities thereby making the classroom practices more activities based, collaborative and joyful. This is also expected that this new approach will ensure higher order leaning and instill the habits of thinking aloud among children.

However, the recent school visit reports of the District Collector, South, reveal that the trainings being provided to teachers are not getting its place inside the elementary classrooms. There may a range of reasons for ineffectiveness of these training inputs. One of the most significant reasons can be the lack of administrative instructions to different level monitoring officials i.e. school heads, Cluster Resource Coordinators, Block Resource Coordinators, Sub-Divisional and District level monitoring officials regarding effective implementation of training inputs at classroom level. Hence, an instruction to the heads of schools and officials of different levels to initiate different activities to stimulate the training impacts in the schools and innovate various activities to bridge the competency gaps of low performing students is need of the hour. The strategies should include the activities to support the better performing children as well for further improvements. Some of the suggestive activities for school heads, CRC/BRC Coordinators, Sub-Divisional and District level officials are given below:  

I.         Activities for School Heads
a)       To ask the teachers to share his/her training experiences through a presentation as soon as the teacher joins school after completing the training
b)        To ask all the teachers irrespective of their category to be present during the presentation
c)        To make arrangements to conduct a model class for the teacher to demonstrate the teaching skills acquired from the training
d)   To encourage all the teachers to apply new teaching skills in classroom practices propagated  by the training programme
e)     To observe classes and appreciate the new teaching strategies applied by the teachers and provide onsite support if required
f)    To inspire teachers to initiate innovative classroom practices and to appreciate/reinforce them as and when the need arises
g)    To encourage and provide support the teachers to use various resources available in the school and its vicinity like Reading Corners, Learner-friendly environment, school campus, locally available materials, etc. during the teaching learning process
h)   To instruct the teachers to identify the children who have been performing below the expected level and to provide additional support during teaching hours to meet up the learning gaps so that all children reach the desired grade appropriate competency level
i)        To encourage the subject teachers to share the students’ performances with their parents on a regular basis and to involve them in the teaching learning processes
j)      To initiate Guardian-Teacher system allocating a fix group of students to every working teacher and ask them to keep track of their learning and behavioural patterns for improving on their weak areas
k)        To take pictures/record videos of all the innovative activities and classroom practices being carried out by the schools/teachers and to share it during the SMC/PTA/MTA/Cluster/Block meetings
l)          To prepare documents on the good practices of the school/teachers and share it with the Cluster Resource Coordinators/ Block Resource Coordinators/ District Officials
m)    To identify the best performing teachers, give recognition to their contribution, at public gatherings and make it a base for the recommendation of these teachers for the teacher awards on Teachers Day.

II.      Activities for Cluster and Block Resource Coordinators, Sub-Divisional and District Level Officials
a)     To monitor and supervise the activities of the school heads on the effectiveness of in-service teacher training in schools
b)      To support and reinforce the school heads and the teachers to apply training inputs 
c)    To appreciate the schools and teachers on the materialization of the inputs acquired during the training
d)   To observe classroom teachings of the teachers whose students are falling behind and provide onsite support to the teachers for improvements
e)      To encourage the system of peer classroom observations among teachers wherein a teacher observes her/his peer’s classroom teaching and thereafter suggest teaching improvements 
f)     To provide a platform for pedagogically sound teachers to share her/his teaching experiences within the clusters/blocks
g)     To identify best performing  schools/teachers and document the processes, impacts and outcomes
h)       To motivate schools to identify the low performing students and organize special remedial classes
i)          To encourage the schools to establish close and continuous contact with parents
j)          To support schools to  organize parenting programmes at regular intervals
k)        To support the Guardian-Teacher system initiated by the school heads
l)          To prepare documents on the process of the good practices of schools/teachers, impacts on children’s learning and character building and its major outcomes.  
m)  To take pictures and video clips of various innovative practices initiated by the schools/teachers
n)  To strategize actions for sustainability and extension of the good practices in the neighbouring schools
o)        To share the good practices of schools and teachers at various platforms and higher offices including teacher educational institutions like DIETs and SCERT

p)      To identify the best performing teachers, recognize her/his contribution at public gatherings and make it a base for the recommendation of teachers for teacher awards. 

Thank You!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

QUALITY MONITORING TOOLS - Consolidation of District Reports (2nd Quarter 2015-16)

State Project Office has consolidated the 2nd Quarter District Monitoring Formats of all four districts of Sikkim in respect of Academic Session 2015-16. The consolidation presented herein are of following 6 (Six) areas: 

1. Initiatives/ strategies adopted by teachers for improving teaching learning process:
a)      Teachers are trying to use activities to teach the children and trying to make the classroom collaborative.
b)      Involved maximum number of students to participate in classroom activities
c)      Preparing attractive TLMs with low cost locally available materials
d)     Adopted play way method in teaching leaning process
e)      Adopted Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation in true sense

2. Specific efforts made for making classrooms inclusive (CWSN):
a)      Ramps and disable friendly toilets are being provided in schools
b)      Special attention by all teachers to them according to their disability
c)      Resource Teachers make frequent visits and give suggestions (provide onsite supports)

3. Ways in which training inputs were used by the teachers:
a)      Teachers started using collaborative teaching techniques
b)      Teachers are conducting Continuous and Comprehensive Assessment
c)      Lecture method is now replaced by activity method
d)     Conducted debates, group discussion, role play and interactive session in the classroom
e)      Sharing of training inputs with fellow teachers

4. Suggestions for upcoming training programmes:
a)      Teachers are to be trained on Teaching through Activities
b)      School heads should be involved in training
c)      Training should be conducted in vacations
d)     Subject-based training is to be conducted
e)      Training to conduct Formative Assessment
f)       Training of school heads on Quality Monitoring Tools is to be given
g)      Training on phonetics for the teachers teaching English in primary classes

  5. In formation on Children with Special Needs (CWSN) and admission of Out of School Children
District
Children with Special Needs (CWSN)
Out of School Children admitted
in the age-appropriate class

Identified
Enrolled
Boys
Girls
East
242
99
05
04
North
84
41
0
0
South
208
85
72
53
West
148
117
38
31
Total
682
342
115
88

  6. Functioning of School Management Committee


Activities
East
North
South
West
a) Number of SMCs
233
76
231
227
b) No. Of schools where School Development Plan have not been prepared
-
-
-
-
c) No. Of schools not involving SMCs in preparation of this plan
-
-
-
-
d) No. of SMCs which have not been given training about their roles and functions
-
-
-
-

The most grey areas reported is the Functioning of School Management Committees. It seems that the district offices are simply consolidating the Block Monitoring Formats and submitting to State without analysing it at their levels. The districts need to go through the reports submitted by the blocks and provide positive feedbacks to Block Resource Coordinators to materialize the mandate of Section 22 of the RTE Act 2009. 

The above consolidation doesn't include Learners' Assessment of Summative Assessment I. 

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Monday, March 9, 2015

How to use baseline data to find where am I now?

I hope my friends have gone through the tables I have posted in my timeline few days back relating to learning achievements of the children attending government schools of our State. The tables indicate the class-wise and subject-wise average percentage of children scoring Grade “A” and Grade “E” in SA1 of 2014-15 academic session. The tables also indicate the average percentage of children who scored Grade “A” and Grade “E” in overall elementary level. The rating scale on which the data presented is same as given in the CCA guidelines supplied to the schools. 

Now a question arises here that how many of you have compared your own score with provided “STATE AVERAGE” to know your present status?
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A subject teacher, a school head, a cluster resource coordinator, a block resource coordinator or block level educational administrator and a district head everyone can use this data in finding their status on academic achievements of their respective jurisdictions.

If you are a subject teacher and you teach EVS in 3rd grade, then open your learner’s assessment register or cross list register or result register whatever you call, count the number of students who have scored Grade “A” in EVS in SA1 in 2014 session. Suppose the number of children came out as 10 and the total number of children assessed in the subject is 40, then find out the percentage, that would be 25%. Now compare your score with STATE AVERAGE given in the table which is only 10.77%. This shows that you are far ahead and doing the best. And if unfortunately, your score becomes less than STATE AVERAGE i.e. less than 10.77%, you need to work hard without being discouraged.

In the same way, you can see your status at lower level achievement also by calculating your score in Grade “E”, however the comparison would be reverse in this case i.e. if your score is less than STATE AVERAGE, then you are doing great.

In the same way, a school head who wish to locate the status of her school in the state scenario can calculate class-wise and subject-wise achievement levels. This will help her to analyse the school’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). The same process can be followed at cluster, block and district level also.

Sometimes a school head may wish to felicitate academically best teacher of her school or a cluster resource coordinator/block level educational administrator may like to recognize an academically best school under her jurisdiction, this process will give an evident ground.

Thank you!

Monday, January 19, 2015

Tentative Proposal under Quality Elementary Education Plan for 2015-16

Sikkim has set following targets keeping in view of state specific issues which are mentioned as Desired Outcomes and proposed the activities accordingly taking eight major quality parameters under Quality Elementary Education Plan for 2015-16. The activities are planned so judiciously to make more realistic and doable. The parameters taken for planning are given as under:
1) Learning Process and Learning Outcomes
2) Comprehensive Quality Vision and Framework
3) Minimum Enabling Conditions
4) Vision-based Curriculum and Teaching Learning Materials
5) Learning Assessment System
6) Teacher Effectiveness Frameworks
7) Academic Support and Monitoring System
8) Community and Civil Society Partnership

1. Learning Process and Learning Outcomes:

Learning processes for learners is what Teaching processes for teachers. Thus, the best learning processes would be in the best Teaching processes if it is contemplated from teachers’ point of view who are being paid for the purpose. Thus, keeping in view of achievement level of the children of government schools, state want to change the classroom processes and achieve following outcomes within this Plan period.

1.1. Desired Outcomes

a. All children have learnt basic reading and writing by Grade 2.
b. Learning takes place through activities, discovery and exploration by students
c. Culture of discussion where children freely express their views and questions in Primary Classes

1.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Introduction of materials of Early Reading, Writing and Comprehension and Early Mathematics in Classes I & II
b. Training of teachers teaching Classes I & II on effective use of materials mentioned in Sl. No. (a) in classroom teaching
c. Analysis of reports collected through QMTs to locate learning improvement in different classes [Input Impact Assessment]
d. Feedbacks to teachers regarding impact of trainings/workshops and other inputs
e. Re-designing of strategies if the desired learning is not attained

2. Comprehensive Quality Vision and Framework:

The State has three ‘desired outcomes’ on this parameter.

2.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Identification of Learning Achievement of the children
b. Fruitful and harmonized implementation of Early Literacy [Language & Mathematics] in I and Class II
c. Visible learning improvements in  Science & Mathematics  in Upper Primary

2.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Printing and distribution of Learning Indicators to schools
b. Development of Clear Vision of desired classroom processes in Language, Mathematics, EVS/Science and English using learning indicators
c. Training of Teachers along with all the field level functionaries on Verifiable Learning Indicators and desired changes in classroom processes

3. Minimum Enabling Conditions:

State could not attain the plan targets specified for 2014-15 in respect developing learner-friendly (Child-friendly) school campus as per target set for the year. Hence the target for this year as well remains the same.

3.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Child-friendly infrastructure/school design which support students’ learning
b. Barrier-free environment to promote higher level of inclusive education

3.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Workout to find possibilities in every school to develop it into learners’ friendly
b. Workout to devise designs/paintings/models for each school as per the findings of Sl. No. (a) above.
c. Exposure Visits for State level functionaries working to provide Child-friendly designs/Infrastructure to schools to Indian states where these programs are effectively running.
d. Creation of copies of CD on child-friendly design collected during exposure visits and distribution to schools.

4. Vision-based Curriculum and Teaching Learning Materials:

The revision of text-books of primary level in the line of new curriculum framework and RTE Act 2009 completed in 2011 and shared with MHRD, Govt. of India. The revision of language textbooks of upper primary classes was included in the plan last year which could not be achieved due to some reasons.

4.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Revision of language textbooks of upper primary
b. Timely publication and distribution of Textbooks
c. Effective use of Teaching Learning Materials to make the learning fun

4.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Workshop of SCERT/DIETs personnel, selected teachers and personnel from planning/Textbook/exam/administrative section for the revision of language textbooks of upper primary classes
b. Formation of sub-committees for different subjects
c. Preparation of draft manuscript and submission to competent authority for approval
d. Meeting of various field level officers to ensure timely distribution of textbooks to schools

5. Learning Assessment System:

In Sikkim, 100% government schools are following Continuous and Comprehensive Assessment since 2011. State has trained the school heads and the elementary school teachers in phase-wise manner. A booklet titled “Guidelines for Continuous and Comprehensive Assessment” and provided to all the schools of the state. However, it is felt that the assessment being conducted till now is yet to be holistic as per the essence of CCA.

5.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Teacher conducts holistic assessment (ability to remember, understand and apply knowledge) of children in non-threatening methods, keeps records, analyses and provides remedial supports when necessary

5.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Preparation of documentary collecting the best practices of conducting CCA in different schools which can be used as resource materials during teacher trainings
b. Training of teachers teaching at Primary Level and Upper Primary Level on revised Guidelines of Continuous and Comprehensive Assessment.
c. Collection and compilation of feedbacks from teachers, school heads and CRCCs/BRCCs on revised Guidelines of Continuous and Comprehensive Assessment.

6. Teacher Effectiveness Frameworks:

Effectiveness of teachers depends on the effectiveness of process of teacher preparation, effective trainings and effective follow-up processes. International experience with teacher training suggests that learning is complex skills, such as those required to promote active learning, requires several days of initial training followed by periodic reinforcement to sustain changes in teaching behaviour.

6.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Reduction of numbers of both primary and upper primary untrained teachers
b. At least 80% teachers of both category can follow teaching through activities
c. Re-survey of Trained-Untrained Teachers on the basis of appointment date i.e. before and after 3rd September 2001.

6.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Conduct Teacher Survey to confirm the numbers of untrained teachers in both primary and upper primary categories taking the borderline between before and after 3rd September 2001.
b. Serving of Circular to all schools drawing attentions of untrained teachers appointed after 3rd September 2001 to enroll/obtain professional qualification [2-year D.El.Ed. for primary teachers/2-year B.Ed. for upper primary teachers]
c. Training of selected Primary Teachers to design activities in English, EVS/Science and Mathematics  d. Meeting with Administrative Officers, faculties of SCERT/DIET, DPCs/BRCCs/CRCCs to finalize Teacher Performance Indicators
Printing of Teacher Performance Indicators for circulation to schools
e. Contents for In-service Teacher Training 2015-16
i) Effective use of supplementary materials prepared under Learning Enhancement Programme and Early Literacy for teachers teaching in pre-primary class, Classes I and II.
ii) Teaching through Activities for the teachers teaching in Classes III, IV & V.
iii) Teaching Mathematics and Science through activities for teachers teaching in Classes VI, VII & VIII.

7. Academic Support & Monitoring Systems:

Teaching as a profession requires a constant touch with academics i.e. one is a ‘learner for life’. It is essential that a teacher keeps himself abreast of the constant advancements in the “Knowledge-World” and thus updates his own knowledge base. However, it is also equally important that how s/he is being provided with academic supports in the way making herself updated as a teacher and how her works are being monitored. The support providers and monitoring personnel are to be equally updated and equipped with recent development of educational processes.

7.1 Desired Outcomes

a. Preparation of Block Level Annual Monitoring Plan
b. Monitoring Officials (BRCCs/ CRCCs, and educational administrators including heads of schools) conduct monthly/quarterly meetings at their respective levels and sent reports in an standard formats designed to cover 8 quality parameters
c. Smooth implementation of Quality Monitoring Tools

7.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. Preparation of plan for Monitoring for conducting regular follow-up visits, additional supports and monitoring based on PINDICS.
b. Monitoring and supervision of preparation of preparation of School Development Plan in schools
c. Implementation of QMTs since from first quarter of academic session

8. Community & Civil Society Partnerships:

It is expected that local community, teachers and management committee will, in partnership with local non-governmental organizations, prepare and implement plans for school activities, and maintain records, monitor and evaluate the school activities. Again, after management transfer, schools are anticipated to be responsible to determine vision and mission of the school, to call meetings of parents, the PTA and the SMC, to prepare indicators for keeping transparency of each of its activities, to maintain coordination with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community-based Organizations (CBOs) and mobilize them, to inform the stakeholders about the administrative and financial aspects of the school.

8.1. Desired Outcomes

a. Schools welcoming community to participate in children’s learning processes
b. Preparation of School Development Plan in 100% schools and work as per the plan

8.2. Strategies and Planned Activities

State has planned following activities on the basis of the strategies designed:
a. District level meeting of School Heads, CRC and BRC coordinators to encourage involvement of community in teaching learning processes and preparation of School Development Plan involving community in every school
b. Instruction to Cluster Resource Centres to conduct regular cluster level meetings of SMC members on importance of involvement of community in teaching learning processes and preparation of School Development Plan involving community
c. Preparation of School Development Plan in the school setting achievable goals at the end of the year taking baseline data from the achievement levels of children in SA1 under the supervision of BRCCs and CRCCs
d. Half-yearly Review meeting of SMC and Community on achievement  of activities planned under School Development Plan 2015-16
e. Annual Review Meeting for the year on achievement of planned targets under School Development Plan 2015-16
f. Preparation of School Development Plan for 2016-17 keeping in view of achievements of SDP 2015-16 all 8 parameters.

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Saturday, November 8, 2014

Early Childhood Education or Pre-Primary Education: Base for Primary Education

The type of education to be imparted to the children before they enter into the formal education system is called pre-primary education. This is the education to be imparted to the children in the age group of 3 to 6 years. It is considered essential as it provides the opportunity to the children to experience community-life on a small scale where children of similar as well as varying ages work and play with one another day-by day.  Future prejudices and social maladjustments are removed by the provision of properly “controlled environment” for the children when they are at this stage. In addition, Pre-Primary education also provides the scope of being ready for formal education and helps them to enhance their performance standard in the primary classes.

It is said that Pre-Primary education is of great significance to the physical, emotional and intellectual development of the children, especially those with unsatisfactory home background.

The development of a nation depends upon the development of its children. As such the UNICEF measures the development of a nation on the yardstick of the development of children.

The main objective of the Pre-Primary education is the holistic development of the child.  The development includes the following areas as stated in the book entitled ‘A Guide for Nursery School Teachers’ published by NCERT in 1978:
■Development of Physical Health and Motor Skills;
■Development of Good Health Habits;
■ Development of Desirable Social Attitude and Manners;
■ Development of Emotional Maturity;
■ Development of Aesthetic Values;
■ Stimulation of Intellectual Curiosity;
■ Encouraging Independence and Creativity; and
■ Development of Language.

Pre-Primary Education in the District

In Sikkim, the Pre-Primary Education is being provided by both the government and private agencies like Human Resource Development Department, Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare Department and private schools.

Pre-Primary Education managed by the Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare Department
The District possesses 265 ICDS Centres being run by the Women and Child Division of Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare Department, Government of Sikkim. These centres provide care and education to pre-primary children. However, the education imparted by these centres is not considered as formal education i.e. qualifying for the admission in class I (first grade) in the Government Schools.

Pre-Primary Education managed by Private Schools
Another agency which caters the pre-primary education is the private schools. There are 109 private schools running under South District. They have play group, Nursery, L/KG and U/KG at pre-primary level.

Pre-Primary Education managed by the Human Resource Development Department 
The Human Resource Development Department is the largest agency catering pre-primary education in the district. The totals of 56% of children are in the government schools.

The pre-primary education is being provided in the formal school itself. It means every school has pre-primary section attached to it and a teacher called School Mother is provided to teach these children. It is said that a child should attain 5 years of age when s/he is brought to school for admission in Pre-Primary Class. Normally, a child enters into the normal school system at the age of 6 years after passing one year Pre-primary Class.

As it is already mentioned that the education catered by the ICDS centres is not considered as the pre-school education by the government schools of the district, the children have to take admission in pre-primary class either they had attended ICDS centres or not. This is one of the reason of accumulation of overage children in the school system. It is seen that one of the reason of failure and dropping out of the children from the school is due to overage.  

Thus it is thought that a brief study on the age category of the children of pre-primary class of government schools would be helpful to understand the status of children those are going to feed Class I next year.

For the study, 66.82% of the total government schools of the district were selected by random sampling and the age group-wise enrolments of pre-primary class were collected. The data were consolidated gender-wise, age-wise and sub-division-wise basis.

It is found that the children attending the pre-primary class are of assorted age groups ranging from 4 to 12 years. If it is considered that the entry age of a child to enter into the pre-school system is <6 years, then the district has only 50.11% of children are of right age. This means 49.89% children attending pre-primary class in government schools are overage children.

It is already mentioned that the teachers appointed to teach pre-primary class in the State is called School Mothers. This post is exclusively reserved for the women. The procedure of appointment of school mothers is simple as the candidates do not need to sit for any competitive examination or interview to get selected. The appointment is solely on the discretion of area MLAs. Maximum numbers of school mothers appointed in early eighties were under matric because this post was in fixed pay basis at that time. Later on, the provision is revised and the candidates having minimum qualification of matriculation or having pre-primary teacher training certificate were conferred scale of pay.

The State Government has the provision of special quota for school mothers having higher qualification in the primary teacher selection test. Thus, it is seen that the qualified and efficient school mother gets promoted to primary teacher and less qualified one remains at pre-primary level. This has degraded the quality of pre-primary education in the state which cannot be compensated at any cost. Moreover, the annual examination results of pre-primary class of last three years reveal that average of 46% children fail in this class every year.

It is thought that the numbers of school mothers in the district by educational qualification is also an area of concern. A detail survey was conducted to see the number of school mothers by their educational qualifications. It was found that maximum number of school mothers falls in matriculate category and 22.91% of them are under matric.

It is found during the school visits that the classes at the pre-primary level in government schools are not totally allotted to school mothers.  The primary teachers are also sent to the pre-primary class for teaching purpose. The heads of the school advocate that the primary teachers are more qualified and efficient than school mothers and can teach this class more effectively. However, it cannot be recommended as pre-primary and primary are two different levels of educational management system. Further, the classroom management, child management, teaching-learning processes etc. of pre-primary level are completely different from primary.  It is technically considered that the primary teachers are not at all competent to teach pre-primary class.

The processes involved in teaching- learning is totally a technical matter and a person without training cannot be entrusted for teaching job.  Pre-primary education is also called the early childhood education. Thus, the introduction of 3 R’s in this class is always expected. However, the formal method of introducing 3 R’s is discouraged. There should be activities or playway methods.

It is found that the children attending the pre-primary classes of government schools are being evaluated in summative way which is discouraging for the children.  The recommended methods of evaluating the children of pre-primary class are continuous and comprehensive methods. Further, the children should not be detained in this class.

It is also recommended that the pre-primary class should be segregated in three groups on the basis of age of the children within a classroom and multi-grade teaching is to be introduced.  The segregation can be done in the following way -
♥ 3 yrs child in PP - “C” Group
♥ 4 yrs child in PP - “B” Group
♥ 5 yrs child in PP - “A” Group
This sort of arrangement can ensure the entry of a child in primary level at the age of exact 6 years and does not allow the accumulation of overage children in pre-primary level.  

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[This is 5th chapter of the book titled “A Study on Reasons of Failure and Repetition at Primary Level in Government Schools of South District of Sikkim” a research study conducted by
Dhan B. Subba in 2007-08 and submitted to the Secretary, Human Resource Development Department, Govt. of Sikkim, in May 2008.]

School Development Plan – What, Why and How?

School Development Plan is a document with a list of activities prepared by a school on the basis of its ‘at hand status’ which are to be conducted in future to achieve the targeted objectives in targeted timeframe (short term or long term) with appropriate strategies and plan of actions.

Objectives:
Broadly, the objectives of preparing School Development Plan are as under:
● To ensure universal enrolment, retention, Quality and completion of elementary cycle at appropriate age.
● To ensure child-friendly, barrier free, safe and attractive school environment for pedagogical processes
● To ensure Special Training to Out of School Children of school neighbourhood to put them in the age appropriate class
● To ensure physical infrastructure along with all-weather school buildings
● To ensure higher order learning in children with holistic development
● To ensure community and civil society partnership in all developmental activities of the school

Who makes the School Development Plan?

School Management Committee with following composition makes the plan:
★ 75% parents or guardians of the children admitted in the school (parents or guardians of children belonging to disadvantaged group or weaker section of the society are to be given proportionate representation in the Committee)
★ 25% representatives of teachers, panchayat and senior citizen of the society
★ 50% members of the Committee should be women

Major steps involved in the preparation of School Development Plan: 

Step 1: Status Assessment – Conduct of diagnostic activities and listing of problems
Step 2: Prioritization of identified problems and conversion of prioritized issues to goals
Step 3: Devising actions/steps to achieve the goals


Status Assessment or Diagnostic Activities 

a) Conduct household survey: This will find out the age-wise, gender-wise, economic status-wise, parents’ occupation-wise, CWSN population of school going and out-of-school children within the boundary of that school neighbourhood area.

b) Conduct institutional survey: Institutional survey reveals the status of infrastructure, teachers, teachers’ attendance, students’ attendance, number of school inspection conducted by education officers, availability of playfields, sports/games materials, musical instruments, TLE, TLM, reading corners, laboratory, library, etc.

c) Listing problems or the areas which need improvements: Make a list of issues identified through these two surveys like 3 children in the age group of 6 to 14 years are out of school out of which 1 child is orthopedically impaired, attendance of the students coming from BPL family is poor, shortage of TLM, no girls toilet, etc.

Prioritization of Problems

■ Prepare another list of problems on the basis of its urgencies of solution.
■ Segregate the prioritized problems into two categories – i) Short Term and ii) Long Term

Devising of Action/Steps and Review Strategies

♥ Identify solution levels of each issues to be solved and prepare a list of actions or activities to be carried out to solve each issues, include monitoring/review activities for each issue at each level of solution.
♥ Make chain of activities along with the sub-committees to perform it, monitor/evaluate it and re-plan it if original plan fails.

Plan Submission

Bind the plan into a book form and place it in Gram Sabha for discussion and sanction

Review of Progress

Conduct periodical review meetings to monitor the progress of plan targets.

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