summer internship reort_iftakhar husssain_establishment of play schools
TRANSCRIPT
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION, KASHMIR
KUPWARA (JAMMU AND KASHMIR)
Date (20-05-2016 to 11-07-2016) 7 weeks
SUBMITTED BY: IFTIKHAR HUSSAIN SHAH
MAD15094
AZIM PREMJI UNIVERSITY
Figure 1Training session Regarding, Health, Education and Establishment of Play Schools.
• The organization/domain
The Directorate of School Education Kashmir had carried the task of the opening
of internship opportunity for young and motivated people who can add positive
changes to the education arena of the area. As the name suggest DSEK (Directorate
of School education Kashmir) specifically opened this internship for the purpose of
making positive changes in school education. The name of the internship initiative
is XUANZANG INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIP IN EDUCATION .
The objective of the internship track was;
1) To enrich the education system of Kashmir with the experience and expertise
of talented youth from eminent educational institutions and organizations
across the world.
2) To sensitize talented youth to the education system of one of the most socio -
economically backward parts of the country and to gain an understanding of
issues faced in Rural Kashmir.
3. To develop skills of working with Government in Social Sector, helping in the
creation of future leaders in Education.
The internship provided different learning tracks to the intern’s e.g. teaching
track, pedagogy content development and training track, community engagement
track, administration and policy track and many other tracks, which were
unwritten in the document. Importantly the work between the social welfare
department (ICDS) and department of school education in district Kupwara, which
I took on reaching the district.
Background of Intervention
District Kupwara is located at the north of the Jammu and Kashmir on LOC. Having
literacy of almost 67 percent as per 2011 census
District Census 2011
Male Female Total
Kupwara 77.1 54.79 66.92
Source: http://www.dsek.nic.in/viStat.html
Number of Govt. Institutions in Kashmir Division
S.No District PS MS HS HSS
No. of
KGBVs
Mobile
School Total
1 Srinagar 215 209 74 30 2 0 530
2 Budgam 709 430 105 34 8 8 1294
3 Anantnag 695 677 124 45 8 15 1564
4 Pulwama 516 246 71 30 5 3 871
5 Baramulla 1110 646 165 44 10 8 1983
6 Kupwara 994 709 103 40 10 14 1870
7 Leh 187 138 33 14 4 0 376
8 Kargil 218 257 44 14 6 0 539
9 Ganderbal 351 171 40 15 3 7 587
10 Shopian 331 138 37 10 1 8 525
11 Kulgam 374 357 52 21 3 4 811
12 Bandipora 404 335 49 18 4 6 816
Total 6104 4313 897 315 64 73 11766
Source: http://www.dsek.nic.in/viStat.html
By looking at table, Kupwara performs well in terms of having govt. schools than many
bigger districts in the Kashmir divisions. It is worth noting that these numbers, which are
1870 government schools in the population of 8, 40,000 lakhs, is a new number. Not
because these are latest, numbers achieved but these numbers are achieved after the
process of Rationalization, (the word used in the department for merging of schools),
which means a number of govt. schools are actually closed down and number reduced to
1870. The justification for the process was that Kupwara has a very good teacher-student
ratio, now, which stands at 1:20 around the main town, but around other areas, it is much
lower. Because there was an uneven ratio of teacher-students in many schools, and in
some areas, there was extremely lower number students were going to schools.
By doing away with the problem of uneven teacher-student ratio the department
introduced the policy of Rationalization, which means the merger of schools where there
are few children going to a school where there are enough students. There were other
reasons for rationalization because many schools opened under the SSA in many areas
were very close to each other.
Area of Interest: Early Childhood Education
It is estimated that Anganwadi Workers are spending 39 percent of their time on pre-
school education and in 2003 the Government of India reported that the total coverage
of the program for children in the 3–6 age group was nearly 170 million (MHRD, 2003).
The ICDS program runs Anganwadi centers in villages with a population above 1000 in
selected blocks with a relaxed norm of 700 for tribal areas (Ward) . The National
University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) reports that in January
2006, 17 percent of all schools in rural areas had pre-primary facilities (NUEPA, 2006).
Proposals for the reform of ICDS are currently being considered. With regard to ECE,
among these proposals is one that the demand for pre-school education, and for feeding
the older children, could be met by devolving these responsibilities to the Department of
Education or to local authorities. The DPEP and SSA already deliver pre-school education
services in some districts, and the feeding of four to six-year-olds could become part of
the National Mid-Day Meals Programme. In this manner, more of the AWW’s time could
be freed up for nutrition and health education and growth promotion, increasing the
prospect of achieving better nutrition outcomes. If this kind of reform is not possible,
there should, at any rate, be more emphasis given by the managers of primary education
and ICDS to convergence between the two services. The potential benefits of greater
convergence are enormous. (Ward)
Michael Ward is Senior Education Adviser for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) India
Country Programme, based in Delhi
The activities/strategies/execution/impact etc
The intervention which we did with the help of Social welfare department and
department of education in district Kupwara resembles the proposal for the reforms of
ICDS (given above). But we worked in a little different way.
We adopted this approach for our Intervention for the purpose of early childhood
education
Approach/Activities;
For the first few day, I conducted eight surveys in the area to get more concrete
information regarding the functioning of Anganwadi centers and discharge of duties by
the Anganwadi workers. Sample information available here.
(.https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/12jgHSHdxMIpVP919y37UTux3J
3v-g4TZ22KtIP-y_ck/edit?usp=sharing,
https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/1hIAMIxHmOrcPh8hIm3xqWE1w
KGAP9TwRVybSWUVp61I/edit?usp=sharing.)
Govt. School
Anganwadi centre
anganwadi centre
anganwadi centre
anganwadi centre
I was not surprised to see almost negligible attendance of preschoolers in Anganwadis
during my visits. Furthermore what I heard as excuses for nonattendance of
preschoolers. The timing of Anganwadis from 10 am morning to afternoon 2 pm.
Nevertheless, hardly I was able to see any child present during my visit even if I visited
before the warping up of Anganwadi centers’. However, to my surprise, the Rolls and
Registers were perfectly kept and marked according to each day. I was not able to see or
locate any entry which shows that any of the children was absent during that day. All
the children’s were present (which is shown in the registers) and no one was absent
from the day they had registered with the Anganwadi center.
Furthermore, one can easily understand the numbers of fake names on the register by
looking at their surnames, which, not done that smartly. Anganwadi workers and
Supervisors know that children only come in the morning to get their share of nutrition
only, after taking food they will not stay at Anganwadi centers. The thing, which I heard
most during my surveys is that children only come to have food at the Anganwadi,
centers, after that they don’t stay at the centers. There are also many problems which
they are facing they were saying, like Ration don’t come on time and comes once a year
so there is no incentive to make children stay at the Anganwadi centers. After two or
three months, but the same argument contradicted when I talked to other community
members about the Ration, they said that the Anganwadi workers usually sells ration in
the market.
For working on the establishment of play-school in the district and that too for the first
time by the district administration. We need to have a proper plan, for this, I was lucky
to have to more interns who worked with me for 15 days. For the first 6 days, we
straightaway went to the training of Anganwadi workers in 2 blocks (Kalaroos and
Sogam in Kupwara). We gave them information regarding issues relating to health,
education and the changes by the way of the establishment of play schools. Side by side
we also started to prepare a teaching manual and teaching plan (curriculum), links to
the files are given here, (teaching manual,
https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/1ja_HX7feTsfhZKt_BYiThbqy8Kt4i
wWA70gQxbPWZG8/edit?usp=sharing) (teaching Plan, curriculum
https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/1Zton5SogecH1UTbDE4FZbQzEbO
K2fEmdGyU5XkOefWQ/edit?usp=sharing). For first 6 days, we gave training to AWW’s
(Anganwadi worker) and talk to them about the issues they were raising during our
interaction with them. As we ask, what are the problems they are facing? In addition,
one of the question that came everywhere we went was that how to stop children from
leaving AWC (Anganwadi center) earlier? We had long discussions on issues, relating to
study kits for preschoolers, clearing doubts on their nutrition and their responsibilities
and their new duties, which will be coming up with the establishment of play schools.
Establishment of play schools;
After 15 days, I was again alone and moved straightaway for the establishment of play
schools in Block Khumriyal, Kalaroos. At the end of my internship until July 1st I was
able to establish 7 play schools in Khumriyal, Kalaroos. Furthermore, I myself prepared
the list of schools and nearest Anganwadi center, which has to take its preschoolers to
the designated schools. A total number of 52 play schools recommended for the process
of establishment after giving training to the Anganwadi workers in Block Sogam, Lolab
area of Kupwara. Also, there was a recommendation of 25 play schools provided to
establish in block Khumriyal, Kalaroos area of Kupwara. Of which 7 (7 out of 25) were
established by me while doing my work and remaining if possible in future, because
there is an acute shortage of qualified person to look after the Intervention in the area
plus you need to be continuously motivated throughout all the time despite having a
workload of the whole team. The list of schools established and recommended by me
can be located here, for Khumriyal, Kalaroos,
(https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/1LkvkMnDMi6X_twF6hws8fQqbN
ZEbxP-CR1DKkLZU3qE/edit?usp=sharing) and for Sogam, Lolab area here,
(https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu.in/document/d/1x4E3SKqDlgltQBjwFeswzDNB_Y
KglAIG3MUTFzQbHmY/edit?usp=sharing).
List of Play Schools established and Recommended during the
Internship;
OFFICE OF THE ZONAL EDUCATIONAL OFFICE KHUMERIYAL
LIST OF GOVERNMENTS SCHOOLS PREPOSED FOR PLAY-SCHOOLS
SERIAL NUMBER NAME OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS (VILLAGE)
1. PS NAWABAZAR NAWABAZAR KHUMRIYAL
2. PS ISSGUND MAINDANPORA ISSGUND
KHUMRIYAL
3. UPS TANKIPORA ISSGUND KHUMRIYAL
4. PS DHAL PAYEEN DHAL PAYEEN
5. PS RUNGDARA MADMADOW RANGDARA MADMADOW
6. RANGER PORA KALAROOS RANGERPORA KALAROOS
7. PS DOGGERPORA DOGGERPORA KALAROOS
8. PS SINJA SHUND SHUNDI
9. PS TEEDA TEEDA NAGSARI
10. UPS LADAH LADDA PAYEEN
11. HS MOORI MOORI
12. UPS DARMOHALLA THAYAN THAYAN
13. PS CHEECHEE MOHALLA NARIZAB
14. UPS PARRYPORA PARRYPORA
15. PS JAKADNAKA JAKADNAKA
16. PSDAMNIBALA DANMI
17. HS MACHIL PROPER MACHIL
18. UPS PUSHWARI PUSHWARI
19. UPS THALLY THALLI DUDDI
20. UPS KATWARA KATWARA DAPPAL
21. UPS MIRMOHALLA MISRIBEHAK MIRMOHALL MISRIBEHAK
22. PS CHOUNTYWARI CHOUNTYWARI PAYEEN
23. PS HAJI MOHALLA HAJI MOHALLA CHOUNTWARI
24. UPS TANTARY BASTI RING PAYEEN TANTRAY BASTI
25. UPS RINGBALA RING BALA
26 MS DALL BALLA KHUMRIYA KALAROOS
Established Play-Schools boxes are colored Blue and all other are recommended.
Figure 2first day at play school established Dal Payeen Govt. primary School, Kalaroos, Kupwara.
Learning’s, Reflections and Challenges;
On working with the govt. department one thing that I saw otherwise I will never be
able to see those complexities, time pressure, completion of documents and
uncountable numerous activities a govt. official have to do. First at the start of my
internship I was meet with the strike called by education department because of non-
payment of salaries by the state govt. and when I was able to join the internship, on
reaching my destination in Kupwara I was not able to find any place to stay for 4 days as
promised by the administration. However, these problems were short terms we sorted
out them. Nevertheless, the problems I faced during the establishment was immense
like non-cooperation from the side of social welfare departments Supervisors and non -
compliance on the information provided to them by me. First supervisors were so busy
that after reminding so many time to them that from next day they have to make sure
that the Anganwadi workers will be present at the school allocated to them and
accordingly the list of information provided to them. However, after telling them
everything and detail written information Anganwadi workers, whenever I reached in
the school I myself have to call and search for Anganwadi workers and the preschoolers
to come to play schools. Furthermore, I was alone and had to reach in many locations
physical and had to make contact with many departments (e.g. School education
department, Social welfare department, District Administration which is D.C office.) I
had to run from one department to another and to call one in charge of the department
to another.
However, one thing, which impressed me most, was the attitude of the district
commissioner, actually, he was alone leading the whole district, be it education
department, be it rural department, be it social welfare department and almost every
other activity he was involved. However, he is mostly concerned about the education
department, which he was saying that is most corrupt in the district. One thing, which I
learned and will going to stay with me forever, is that you need motivation. This word
may seem a non-deal breaker but I heard uncountable times from the district
commissioner’s mouth that you can not do anything if your man force is not motivated.
And that I faced during the establishment of play schools when I had to run from
education department to social welfare department for reducing confusion. I had to run
for the written order that should be taken from the Zonal Education Officer to show that
order to the schools so that they can arrange a room for the preschoolers. Furthermore,
I myself many times got demotivated, to see that nobody wants to work and want to
care and even accept that the problem can be solvable. Sometimes I felt like to just-pass
the time, but fortunately, I was not that fortunate to run away from my responsibilities,
either way, I had to complete my target of establishment of seven play schools.
Anganwadi workers mostly pre-occupied by the paperwosrk because the supervisor
only cares about if the paperwork is complete or not. The only function of supervision
regarding Anganwadi centers a supervisor does is just to sign registers so that they can
take their salaries.
Suggestions:
During my whole Internship with the Social Welfare Department and District
Administration one thing, we saw that it is not the lower level employee but the upper
level (middle level, like supervisors) employee who don’t discharge their work honestly,
that is because of the overburden of clerical work they have to do in their daily routine.
One can find numerous problems and give hundreds of suggestions if s/he pick and
point on every other thing. Broadly suggestions, which I found to be adequate, are;
1) The training part comes repeatedly if you interact with Anganwadi workers.
Anganwadi workers whom we meet said that they had never trained in their
whole service. That’s because of many reasons,
First, the training center are not even in their district, as for district Kupwara the
training center is in Baramulla, which is another district.
Second, the Training center usually occupied by other departments or don’t have
the capacity to train the required numbers of Anganwadi workers.
Third, no availability of trainers and supervisors are not qualified to train
Anganwadi workers.
Fourth, the most important, the Anganwadi workers don’t consider training for
their benefits.
2) There is a complete lack of motivation in the middle level staff; the supervisors
are not enough motivated to even check the fake rolls on registers. To get rid of
visiting each Anganwadi center the supervisors organize a meeting once a week
to sign on the registers brought by Anganwadi workers and release salaries. The
CDPO’s (Child Development Program Officer’s) can easily look after the job of
supervisors but hardly we had seen any CDPO while doing my internship, even
though I meet DSWO (District Social Welfare Office) many times who was
immensely helpful.
IFTIKHAR HUSSAIN SHAH
MA DEVELOPMENT
AZIM PREMJI UNIVERSITY
SUMMER INTERSHIP REPORT