Hamari Paathshala- Collective Actions for Musahar Girls’ Education

Programmes

About

 

TIMELINE:November 2014 – March 2016

With the objective of creating an enabling environment for Musahar community girls to access education and learning opportunitie in the Kochas block of Rohtas district, the intervention drew upon the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). The programme ensured that the girls aged 3 to 6 years attended the Anganwadicentres and weekly informal teaching sessions were conducted with them at the ICDS centres.

Steps were also taken to ensure their age appropriate enrolment in schools in accordance with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. For out of school girls aged 7-18 years, needs based support classes wereconductedwithin the vicinity of their homes to enable regular attendance at learning sessions.

The programme was launched by the Speaker in the Bihar Lok Sabha and Minister of State.

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Impact

  • Community representation to the Child Development Project Officer (who supervises the functioning of ICDS through Anganwadi Worker and Helper); and Block Development Office pertaining to prohibition from accessing the anganwadis.
  • Enrolment of 44 girls from Musaharcommunity in the anganwadiswhere they accessed nutritional food, breaking the barriers of caste discrimination that barred their entry to the centres.
  • Enrolment of 129 girls in public schools, while total 165 were able to secure educational benefits as per norms under the Right to Education Act through awareness and facilitation.
  • Organisation of three School Management Committee(SMC) meetings with full participation of Musahar community members, thereby cautioning the school authorities about the consequences of inaction and non-conduct of SMCs at prescribed intervals.