Building the Network of Swachid Schools
Establishing single-teacher schools for the benefit of educationally deprived children is a mammoth project requiring huge investments and manpower. At the last count, in Tamil Nadu alone there are at least 20 lakh children out of school in the age group of 6 to 14 and over 3 crores nationwide. Majority of them are girls. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan project, with a well conceived approach, has made some headway but has not been able to reach all of them. Private initiative in a big way to supplement the Government programme is, therefore, essential for achieving the goal of Universal Education.
Swachid has undertaken this task with confidence based on the inherent nature of man to help others. There are any number of people who are service minded.
Swachid network was launched on 16 July 2006 at Vellore, Tamil Nadu State, in association with People's Alliance for Good Governance (PAGG), a registered NGO devoted to community service. PAGG has over 3,000 centres in the districts of Tamil Nadu and we hope to establish one or more Swachid schools in each one of them. The Vellore District network of 16 single-teacher schools with 277 students is the beginning. It will be extended to other districts as funds flow in
Teacher's
Manual for Swachid Schools
1. The Concept of Swachid Schools:
Children learn best when they are ready and when learning is made fun. And
that is what Swachid schooling is about.
A child is able to proceed at her own pace. State requirements must be met
in terms of taking formalized tests, and that varies with each state, but
it is easier to advance at your child's maturity level with Swachid schooling.
Another example would be the age at which children learn to read. The formalized
school environment will demand it by a certain age as may a homeschooled
environment. A Swachid schooled child learns to read whenever they are ready
regardless of what other children their age are doing.
Having a more flexible routine is ideal rather than needing to proceed at
lessons each school day and correspond learning with the exact times of
the public school's schedule. A Swachid school can function whenever and
wherever the teacher wants.
2. Disciplining the Children:
There are several ways to guide children and help them learn self-discipline.
Joy-way of Learning, Group activity, Freedom of expression, Outdoor study, games and teaching the lessons in conversational style with the children's active involvement.
Children should be involved in the chores of maintaining the classroom and the surroundings clean. Gandhian concepts of Truth, Non-violence, Hygiene, Healthcare and Service must be inculcated from the very beginning. Punctuality, mass prayer, reciting national anthem should be made part of their daily routine.
Children of all ages look to adults for guidance. When adult guidance is needed it is important to understand individual needs and behaviour of children at various stages. This is also true with discipline. The goal of discipline is not to influence behaviour through fear of punishment, but to support the development of self-control and problem-solving.
3. Eligibility:
Teachers: Graduates with fluency in Tamil and English.
Students: in the age group of 6 to 14 who are dropouts or those who never
went to a regular school. Children of pre-school age (4-5) will be admitted
on the basis of guaranteed sponsorship of Rs. 1,250 either by the parent
or a donr. This will cover the en tire course for Grade I that may extend
up to two years.
4. Curriculum:
1. Each class has not more than
20 students. One teacher is in charge of this class and handles all the
subjects.
2. Daily classes are held five days a week. The venue is left to the teacher's
choice.
3. The syllabus is as prescribed by the Government's Directorate of School
Education with additional content of innovative teaching methods, covering
five subjects.
4. The medium of instruction is bi-lingual. (English and native mother tongue).
5. The classes have three periods lasting about an hour each. Native language
and Social Sciences, English, Mathematics and Science are taught alternately.
6. The entire syllabus comprising both primary and middle level school subjects,
are covered in two semesters of six months each.
7. Each semester is divided into three grades.
8. At the primary level subjects meant for LKG, UKG and Class I are taught
in the first grade. The second grade has subjects prescribed for Class II
and III and the third grade Class IV and V subjects.
9. Similarly, Middle School level has three grades. The first Class VI subjects,
the second Class VII and the third Class VIII.
10. On enrolment the teacher assesses the learning level of the student
and places him or her in the appropriate grade.
11. The syllabus is so designed as to cover the subjects of each grade in
two months time. The teacher ensures every student is 100 per cent proficient
in all the subjects before promoting to the next grade or take the final
term test. Those who lag behind stay in the same grade till they catch up.
12. A term test will be held at the end of the first semester (primary level:
Std. 1st to 5th) by the Swachid Academy. Those who pass will be issued a
literacy certificate by the Academy that will make them eligible for the
second semester. (Middle School: Std. 6th to 8th)
13. Those who qualify with distinction will be allowed to sit for the State
Board exam for eighth standard.
14. For every successful student the teacher will be paid, subject to the
availability of funds, an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1,000 to Rs. 2000/ This
will be in two installments: the first at the end of the first semester
and the second at the end of the second semester. Thus, if 20 students pass
out the teacher will earn up to Rs 40,000/ in one term.
This system of teacher initiative schools will take the literacy campaign to the dwelling places of the deprived class of children.
Contributions will be solicited from individual donors (including NRIs), trusts, industries and State and Central governments. The teachers may be permitted to charge a nominal fee from the students who can afford for assistance and additional facilities. Free books and notebooks will be provided.
Donors can adopt a child at the primary level by contributing Rs 1,250 (US
$ 30) or adopt a school with 20 children for a contribution of Rs. 25,000
(US $ 600) per semester. Contribution for a whole year is Rs. 2500 ($60)
per child and Rs. 50,000 ($1200). A similar amount is payable for adopting
students at the middle school level (from 6 to 8th std.)
The location of the school along with the names of the teacher and children with photos will be provided to the donors. They can, if they so desire, monitor the progress of their wards by themselves.
Payments should be made by Cheque/Draft drawn in favour of Swachid Academy
and sent by post. Or, the amount can be remitted by Electronic Transfer
from your Bank Account to the account of Swachid Academy Current Account
No.
128 102 000 00 693 Bank of Baroda, Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018
Training in Child Management:
Swachid Academy, in association
with an established educational institution, will impart training in Child
Management where both young mothers and teachers will undergo a 10-day course.
Innovative methods of teaching, child care, spoken English and Tamil and
computer literacy will be taught with the help of experts and tools.
_______________________________________________________________
For further information contact:
Director,
Swachid Academy for Universal Education
99 Jounalists Colony, Thiruvanmiur, Chennai 600 041 Ph: 91 - 044 - 2451
1846
e-mail: swachid@swachid.com webssite: www.swachid.com
First list of Swachid Schools in Vellore District (as on July 16, 2006)
Serial No. Named of PAGG centre
Number of Students
Primary Middle Total Boys/Girls
SwS/1 Amman Kuppam - 20 20 13/7
SwS/2 Kovil Patta Riverbed 8 9 17 15/2
Sws/3 Bathala Palli 6 19 25 11/14
Sws/4 AgaramCheri 11 9 20 10/10
SwS/5 Gandhi Nagar 10 10 20 8/12
SwS/6 Aravatla Hill 14 6 20 9/11
SwS/7 Ranipet I 6 14 20 9/11
SwS/8 Ranipet II 6 15 21 9/12
SwS/9 Aravatla Hill II 15 5 20 9/11
SwS/10 Govindapuram -- 10 10 5/5
SwS/11 Tiruppattur 2 9 11 8/3
SwS/12 Pannapakkam -- 5 5 5/--
SwS/13 Udayarpalayam 16 -- 16 6/10
SwS/14 Pakkampalayam 2 20 22 7/15
SwS/15 Cinnapallikuppam 6 9 15 8/7
SwS/16 G.R. Palayam -- 15 15 5/10
The community -wise breakup is
as follows:
BC: 109 MBC: 51 SC: 45 ST: 32 Gypsy: 40
____________________________________________________________
For further details Contact: Sw. K. Vilvanathan, Secretary PAGG Vellore
Dt. Phone:94434 90426
Swachid Academy
for Universal Education
Teachers' Training Course
Name of the Trainee
Age
Full Address:
telephone
E-mail:
Qualifications:
Professon:
Special interest, if any:
Signature
Date:
Swachid Academy
for Universal Education
Swachid School No. SwS/
District
Location (Give full address)
Phone:
E-Mail
Name of the Teacher photo
Male/Female
Age*
Education*
Experience*
(*Enclose xerox copy of certificates)
Signature
Date
Teacher Convenor
Name of the Sponsor:
Full Address:
Phone:
e-mail:
Swachid School No. SwS/
Teacher's Name
Student's Name
Roll No.
Male/Female
*Age/Dated of Birth
Commun ity*: BC/MBC/SC/ST/Other
*Attach Xerox copy of certificates
Family Background
Number of persons
Father/Mother's Name
Address:
Occupation
Average Monthly income:
School last studied:
Class
Reason for dropout
Swachid School admission: Primary/Middle Grade I/II/III
Signature
Date
Teacher Student
Name of the Sponsor:
Full Address:
Phone:
e-mail:
