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We are delighted to bring you the latest updates from our work towards strengthening of the anganwadis and government schools. In the past few months, we have made significant progress in empowering the teachers, facilitating exposure visits, distributing learning materials, training the assistant teachers of the anganwadis and building the capacities of the community structures. These initiatives are aimed at ensuring holistic development and high-quality education for young children in our communities.
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Updates from Bangalore Urban District
Empowerment of Anganwadi Teachers
Storytelling training
As part of our efforts to enhance the skills of the anganwadi teachers, we collaborated with Kathalaya, an organization founded by renowned storyteller and academician Ms. Geeta Ramanujam. The training conducted by Ms. Ramanujam emphasized the importance of storytelling as an effective educational tool. Through interactive sessions, teachers learned various storytelling techniques, such as voice modulation and using body language. Additionally, they discovered how storytelling could foster qualities like curiosity and concentration in children. The training also introduced puppetry as another engaging storytelling method, enabling teachers to create puppets and incorporate them into their teaching practices.
Exposure visit to Anganwadi Resource Centres
Recognizing the need for teachers to observe well-functioning Anganwadis centres, as part of the teacher training, we organized an exposure visit to the model resource centres that we had developed out of some of the Anganwadis that Prajayatna has been working with. These visits provided an opportunity for teachers to witness effective teaching practices and gain inspiration to implement similar strategies in their own centres. The coordination between teachers and assistant teachers, the engaging learning activities, the learning materials and the overall cleanliness and hygiene maintained at the centres amazed the teachers. The visit was followed by a session where the teachers reflected on what they had seen and learnt from the visit, and the aspects that they would follow in their own centres. The exposure visits left teachers motivated and inspired to improve their own centres and deliver high-quality education to the children in their care.
134 teachers participated in the exposure visit. There has been 5 teacher trainings in the past year, with a participation rate of 95%.
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Assistant Teachers Training
We conducted training sessions specifically designed for the helpers who are equivalent to assistant teachers, focusing on their roles in language development, creative activities and facilitating learning activities. The training also covered the importance of nutrition for children and how to make use of the nutrition that is being provided for pregnant and lactating mothers as well as 0-3 year old children, by the Department of Women and Child Development, such as the multi-grain protein powder which is not appreciated by most of the women. They were then taught to make a nutritious millet malt from scratch for the children. The feedback received from the assistant teachers was very positive, with many expressing how the training helped them to improve their storytelling techniques and engage children better.
Three rounds of Assistant teachers training have taken place in the past year, with a participation rate of 95%.
Distribution of learning materials
To enrich children's learning experiences, we distributed a range of teaching and learning materials. These materials, included picture cards for storytelling, alphabet and picture matching cards, action cards, emotion cards, and pre-numeric concept flashcards, were designed to support language and cognitive development. The training sessions highlighted the importance of using these materials effectively and encouraged teachers to engage children in hands-on learning experiences. Furthermore, teachers were encouraged to develop their own resources using local materials, fostering creativity and resourcefulness in the teaching-learning process.
Learning materials were distributed to 137 AWCs
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Teachers and Assistant Teachers Excursion
To foster better relationships and collaboration between teachers and assistant teachers, we organized an excursion. We visited different sites in Channapatna and Mandya - Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Janapada Loka, Balmuri Falls, Ranganathaswamy Temple, and Nimishamba Temple. It was important for the efficient and effective functioning of the AWC that there was a good relationship between the teacher and the assistant. This was not the case in many of the centres and this was seen to have an impact on the quality of the centre. The Anganwadi teachers and assistant teachers remarked that they really enjoyed the trip as they rarely ever get a chance to travel, and that it was a great opportunity for them to bond with one another.
190 teachers and assistant teachers were part of this trip
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Enhancement of learning of the children
We have observed a significant improvement in the learning outcomes of the children across various aspects. To ensure comprehensive assessment and progress tracking, we have developed an ability-based learning framework based on the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020. This framework encompasses three broader development goals: cognitive development and conceptual understanding, oral language and emergent literacy, and socio-emotional well-being.
Baseline and endline assessment was done with 305 and 255 children respectively, which is 10% of the total children, to evaluate the programme quality and identify any gaps.
Let's take a closer look at the findings:
In contrast to the previous year when half of the children were at the evolving level (49%), this year about half of the children (53%) have moved up in the learning trajectory and have reached to the involved level of learning. This means that about half of the total children have now understood and experienced the identified concepts or competencies and they just need little reinforcement in order to become proficient in them and apply in day to day life.
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Symposium: Reimagining the Role of Anganwadi Workers
Prajayatna organized a symposium in collaboration with the Women and Child Development, Karnataka, and HT Parekh Foundation. The symposium, titled "Reimagining the Role of the Anganwadi Worker in the Context of NEP," aimed to discuss the current state of Anganwadi workers and explore ways to enhance the quality of early childhood care and education. The symposium featured three main panel sessions:
1. Anganwadi worker as ECE Educator
2. Engagement of Anganwadi workers with parents
3. Collaboration of Anganwadi workers with community structures
We had a fantastic panel of esteemed speakers who led engaging discussions and shared their valuable insights. Together, we explored the challenges faced by Anganwadi workers and generated suggestions to create a conducive environment for their work. The conversations were rich with diverse perspectives and experiences.
There were 80 participants in the symposium
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Testimonials
We got to learn about various developments in children and ways of conducting learning activities
Ms. Nitya Sri,
Teacher, Kempapura Colony, Chikkabanawara Circle
So far, we thought conducting learning activities is the job of a teacher alone but now we got to learn a lot more about children, the developmental domains and what role we can play to support children’s learning.
Ms. Manjula,
Assistant Teacher, Abbigere AWC2 , Abbigere Circle
We used to conduct learning activities without knowing the reason behind them, but in this training, we have been able to understand the abilities that get developed from every activity that we conduct.
Ms. Sowbhagyamma C,
Teacher, Goraguntepalya AWC, Shankarnagar Circle
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From unruly to a curious learner!
Satvik, a 4 year old boy, was initially known to be difficult and had trouble interacting with others. He would often get angry, bite, hit and throw objects at other children in the Anganwadi, and was reluctant to participate in any activities. He would sit alone in the corridor and refuse to mingle with other children. He would not even eat the food provided, including milk, chikki, and lunch. As a result, his attendance was also very irregular.
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However, Prameela, the teacher, decided to step in and help Satvik. She spent time understanding his behaviour and started engaging him in his favourite activities alone. Gradually, as he began to show interest, he was integrated with the other children. The teacher showed patience and compassion, helping Satvik to build trust and confidence in himself. Prajayatna also provided training to the teacher and helper to improve their teaching capabilities. As a result of the time and effort invested in him, Satvik's behaviour began to change. He started interacting, playing, and participating in all the activities with the other children. He listened attentively and began to enjoy singing, vegetable printing, drawing, playing with beads, and building blocks. Moreover, he started having meals along with the other children. Satvik's attendance became regular, and he began to thrive in his Anganwadi.
Now, Satvik's parents are extremely happy. His mother said, “I was very worried about my son’s behaviour, but now he loves to learn and continues to engage in activities at home. I feel very happy and I am extremely grateful to Prajayatna and the Anganwadi teacher and helper.
It just goes to show that with a little bit of help, any child can thrive and succeed.
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The case of Savitha, the assistant teacher of Raghavendra colony AWC!
Savitha, a 36-year-old has been working as an assistant teacher in Raghavendra colony AWC for the last twelve years. Many changes have been observed in her involvement in the last few months. Earlier, she kept her duties limited to cooking, cleaning, and never showed interest in getting involved in learning activities. A marked change was seen in her after the trainings given by Prajayanta to the assistant teachers, which enabled her to redefine her role.
After undergoing assistant teacher training, she says that she has been able to organise her centre in a better manner. The centre’s hygiene has improved, as she now understands the value of hygiene of the centre, while cooking food, etc. She is able to communicate with the parents in a more empathetic manner.
The information on the kind of role she needs to play to support the teacher during the learning time as well as the activities that could be done when the teacher was not there made her feel confident. She now finishes her cooking and other cleaning-related responsibilities quickly and joins the teacher in conducting learning activities. While conducting sensorial activities and other cognitive activities, the teacher and assistant teacher divides the children equally and conducts the activities efficiently. When the teacher is not in the centre, she conducts all the activities beginning with prayer and all other sessions in the timetable. She talks to children with affection and she visits the homes of children who are absent for two or more days, thereby building a connection with the community.
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Updates from Yadgir District
Cluster Level Monthly Teachers Collective Meetings
Four monthly teacher collective meetings have been held from January to March with the main objective of shaping and empowering school teachers as facilitators. In these meetings, the following issues were discussed and concept plans were formulated. Here are the key highlights:
- Mutual learning was promoted through the sharing of classroom experiences, allowing teachers to address concerns and find solutions within the classroom setting.
- The assessment, recording, and discussion of the competencies children need to learn took place in the classrooms.
- Learning outcomes for each school were analysed and documented, providing valuable insights for future planning
- The condition and progress of children with disabilities were reviewed, and appropriate plans were developed to support their learning.
- Necessary tools for conducting Summative Assessment were prepared, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of student's understanding.
- As a result of the group meetings, teachers gained a better understanding of the qualitative learning program and actively engaged in the classroom process, facilitating concept-based learning experiences for the children.
- Teachers individually prepared a concept map extension plan, further enhancing the learning experience for the children.
Teachers Educational Field Visit
In February 2023, a one-day educational tour to Bidar was organized for all the teachers from Arakere and Kandakuru clusters. Two teams of teachers participated in the field visit. The first team visited Basavakalyan, where they explored Nagavi Yallamma, Changalera Sri Veerabhadreshwar Temple, the 108-feet Basavanna idol, Akka Mahadevi Gavi, and Anubhav Mantapa.
The second team visited Bidar city, where they visited Chandrapalli Dam, Bidar Airport, Papanasha Temple, and Gurdwara Sri Nanak Jhira Sahib. They also visited Sri Narasimha Jarana Temple, the historical fort, and the Medical Veterinary Research Center.
These field visits aimed to provide teachers with exposure to various sites and experiences, enhancing their understanding of the outside world. The shared field study experiences and consultations served as opportunities for teachers to exchange knowledge and insights, further supporting their professional growth and the facilitation of qualitative learning in classrooms.
98 teachers participated in the visit
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School Development and Management Committee (SDMC)
We facilitated a workshop with the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) Presidents & Vice Presidents from 21 schools in Kandukur and Arikera K clusters.
Through this workshop, they learned about their roles and responsibilities in more depth and how to develop a School Development Plan (SDP). The SDP embodies the vision held for the school and covers various aspects of school development such as academic performance, infrastructure development/maintenance, governance of the school, etc.
The SDP serves as a roadmap for the school's development, and it helps the SDMC to monitor the progress and make necessary adjustments. The SDMCs are important structures for improving the quality of education in schools. They enable decentralized governance and community involvement in the school's functioning and promote a collaborative approach to school development.
The SDMC leaders made a resolution to actively engage in the school development process and make their schools a model for others to follow.
18 SDMC presidents, vice presidents and 17 head teachers participated in the training.
Learning Assessments of Children
All schools were supported to consolidate annual learning assessments of children using teacher-prepared child assessment codification tools, providing the necessary assessment tools to all children in the learning process of grades 1-5.
This helps to identify the learning progress of how many children are at the beginning of the year and at which stages (evolving, interested, involved and self-directed) and at the end of the year and to make effective plans for the future. This was done by the teachers themselves.
Children’s learning exhibition
This event was a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the entire local community to get an inside look at the learning processes and environment in their schools. Children's work from the entire year was displayed, and their individual progress was discussed with their proud parents. The day concluded with the children showcasing their talents through cultural performances.
But, the best part of this event was that it helped the local community understand better the efforts the teachers were putting in and how their children were learning and encouraged them to become more involved in the process. We had an amazing turnout with Department officials, SDMC (School Development and Monitoring Committee) members, Gram Panchayat members, parents, village elders, and children from the local community all attending. The true meaning of education was understood by all attending and they shared their positive feedback about the event.
These learning exhibitions were held in 21 schools and more than 1000 parents and others from the communities have participated in them.
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UPDATES FROM UTTAR PRADESH
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Resource Centre for Children with Disabilities
In Chitrakoot district, Prajayatna and the Department of Education launched a resource centre for children with disabilities. The centre was inaugurated by District Basic Education Officer Mr. Luv Prakash Yadav. The centre aims to provide necessary therapeutic activities and support for children with disabilities, including parent training, braille literacy, foundational learning, speech and language development, and physiotherapy. The officials commended Prajayatna and emphasized the importance of regular assistance and support for parents. The centre also provided assistive to devices some of the children to support them in their daily routines.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) for Children with Disabilities
Home visits were made to the houses of children with disabilities in the Chitrakoot and Bahraich districts. These visits were part of our overall education campaign, focusing on the wellbeing and development of children with disabilities. The purpose was to improve their attendance to school and also to support the efforts of the parents through dissemination of information. Parents were informed about the certificate camp and were encouraged to participate. The government's provision of allowance and stipend for children with disabilities was also highlighted. We collected the necessary documents for these allowances and ensured timely submission to the department. Furthermore, equipment was distributed to the children with disabilities. In consultation with the parents, the Individual Education Plan was made for all the children. The IEP had the holistic development of the children in mind and planned for both the therapy and rehabilitation to be done at home as well as the academic outcomes which were identified and planned with the teachers as well.
IEP of 184 children were made.
School Management Committee Meeting
The School Management Committee plays a crucial role in improving children's learning and addressing school-related issues. This committee serves as a bridge between parents, the community, and teachers, focusing on the school environment's academic and physical aspects. Effects of the meeting at the school level:
- Clarification of the roles and responsibilities of committee members, and thereby ensure better governance of the schools.
- Discussion on enhancing parental participation in children's education in the next meeting.
- Commitment from the President and Vice President of primary schools Mazhar and Chakoundh to ensure the active involvement of all committee members.
- Identification of absent children and contact made by committee members to address the issue.
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Teacher’s collectives
Teacher's collectives are organized every month at the cluster level to enhance the conceptual understanding of the teachers through training and prepare a strong action plan for the upcoming month. This quarter's training focused on the capacity building of teachers to facilitate foundational language and maths teaching and make it more effective, for which the use and utility of the library, teaching learning materials, etc was discussed and decided upon. In the month of March, the focus was on assessment. The need for formative and summative was discussed and a plan made for the summative assessment at the end of the academic year.
5 rounds of teacher training has happened in the past year with an attendance of 90% of the teachers.
Strengthening of Anganwadi centres in Uttar Pradesh
Efforts have been made to improve the education provided at Anganwadi centres in both Chitrakoot and Bahraich, resulting in better developmental outcomes. Anganwadi workers are now more actively engaged in children's education, and regular centre operations have been established to facilitate play-based activities and enhance children's learning abilities. Two trainings were conducted on cognitive and language development. The trainings were interactive and engaging with all the activities being demonstrated as well. This helped the teachers to understand better.
6 rounds of training has taken place for the Anganwadi teachers with 90% attendance.
Anganwadi level Parent Meetings
Parents meetings were conducted to create a learning environment for the children at home and strengthen the engagement of the parents with the children. For this to happen, there was a need for the parents to understand the importance of ECCE and the anganwadi centre. They needed to know what was happening in the centres. Support was also required from them to identify and address the issues of the lack of basic facilities for the anganwadi centres. Efforts were made to address all these challenges through these meetings.
Impact
- Following the meeting at Anganwadi Center Rehuta, the Pradhan (village head) arranged for the installation of a water tank, light fitting, and ladder outside the centre.
- The parents of the children of Bhabhai Anganwadi centre, now prioritize sending children to the centre, and the functioning of the centre have improved has well.
- The Anganwadi centre in Kuli Talaiya, which previously was very irregular in its functioning, now opens regularly. The number of children attending has increased from 5-6 before to 10-11 now , and parents actively participate in the meetings.
These positive outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the meetings in addressing specific issues, improving infrastructure, increasing parental awareness and involvement, and enhancing the overall functioning of the Anganwadi centres.
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Children’s Learning and Cultural Centres
Children's Learning and Cultural Centres (CLCC) were established with the purpose of engaging children during post-school hours. These centres aim to provide a separate space beyond the confines of their school and homes, and are managed by the community. They serve as a gathering place for children, fostering a conducive environment for learning and engaging in activities distinct from their academic curriculum. Moreover, these centres enhance the children's abilities, including life skills, and value education. The value education classes conducted in these centres have had a transformative impact on the children's lives. Their communication and interactions with peers and teachers have shown remarkable improvement. Each centre is supported by two facilitators who guide and assist the children.
There are 210 children attending 4 CLCC in Raidih block, Gumla District, Jharkhand
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Vishal Tets's journey of learning and development!
Vishal Tete, a 10-year-old boy from Pibo, Jharkhand, was struggling with his education until he enrolled at the CLCC (Community Learning and Competency Centre). He was irregular and would disappear for weeks, but the facilitator, Nomitha Sindu, didn't give up on him. After several visits to his home and discussions with his parents, Vishal started attending the CLCC regularly.
Although he participated actively in the centre's activities, his academic performance remained poor, especially in writing, due to undeveloped fine motor skills. Nomitha worked closely with Vishal and helped him understand the concepts, built his confidence, and encouraged him positively. With the support and motivation he received, Vishal's learning levels improved significantly, and he started doing better in school.
Today, Vishal is a confident and enthusiastic learner, thanks to the CLCC and the dedicated efforts of the facilitator. Prajayatna continues to work towards providing quality education and support to more children like Vishal, helping them achieve their full potential.
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Want to make a difference?
Prajayatna was founded in 2008 to improve the quality of education and learning outcomes for children in Government schools and Anganwadis (govt run preschools). Our vision and mission is to ensure that every child gets quality education to be able to thrive and live a life of dignity and we aim to work towards bringing about a systemic change in the education system. Our programmes include Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for Anganwadis and a Quality Learning Program called Kalikayatna for the primary level. We work on Inclusion and for Children with disabilities (CWD) for including them into mainstream education and making sure that they are not left out. Having worked in 6 states, presently we are working in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. We work with teachers, school leaders, communities, and government officials to create a learning conducive ecosystem and implement innovative solutions for improving education. Our approach is based on data-driven decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.
At Prajayatna, we believe that each one of us can contribute in our little ways to ensure that all children have univeral access to quality education. Our strength lies in our ever-growing supporter base --- volunteers, donors, the communities and different stakeholders that we work with and the media and together we can do so much more in championing our cause. If you’re equally passionate as us and want to be a part of our journey, spread the word about Prajayatna with your friends, and relations.
So please, consider making a DONATION today and join us in our mission to ensure that all children have an equitable and inclusive education which gives them a chance to a life full of hope and opportunities. Together, “A better world is possible”.
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Click here: link to the donation page
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All donations to Prajayatna are tax-exempted under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In recognition of the good work being done by Prajayatna, we have been awarded the Guidestar Certification. Guide Star India validates NGOs based on their legal and financial compliance, as well as on their level of public disclosure of information.
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Bengaluru
Prajayatna - Head Office
No. 331, 1st ‘A’ Main, 7th Block,
Jayanagar (West), Bengaluru 560 070
P: (+91) 080-26769676, www.prajayatna.in
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