ENABLING STEM EDUCATION FOR RURAL LEARNING CENTRES

Abandoning Girl child education in Rajasthan

According to National statistiscal office survey conducted in 2020, 26% of girls children are not attending school, of this proportion, 24% never attended school and morethan 60% never enrolled in school programme. The incidence of girls children dropping out of school is very well seen in the state of Rajasthan (DISE). Also the downward pattern is also observed in the gross enrollment ration starting from the primary till higher secondary education, especially in rural region of the state.  

In the state, generally girl children are not allowed to get the education by the family members due to various reasons early marriage as tradition and cultural practices, forcing for household chores, long distance travelling for attending schools at remote locations,  non availability of schools, lack of teachers, lack of school infrastructure, reluctancy of the teachers to choose remote villages, no free education from secondary level, opion of high investment on education for girls, , single school teacher, and high dropout rate of students. The family members are failing to understand the power of educating their girl children. Specifically mewati (meo muslims) girls are not at all given preference to take up education. They are subjected to very early marriage and end up in heath issues out of it. The women are facing various dangerous health issues and leading to death. 

Lack of STEM Education

 In our learning centres, the students are taught with the existing syllabus with the book materials and resource materials. The students are not having the facility to get the inetrcative digital learning videos. The susbcription rates are also very costly and requires internet services in the remote villages to access from the youtube or other plaforms. The students are not exposed to the use of smart devices like smartphones, tablets and smart tv which are the recent innovations in digital India. In urban, the students who have internet and smart gadgets facilities are learning advanced study materials for improving their academics along with school curriculum. The rural students are either exposed to smart devices or the advanced digital learning resources

 Need for learning and interactive toys

The School closure in India has made the students devoid of  having a happy  playtime with their peers. This pushes them to fall into severe mental trauma. Especially, children in rural villages of Kishangarh, Ramgarh and Rajgarh blocks of Rajasthan and Nua-Mewat Block of Haryana, who are already underprivileged and belonging to the weaker section of society in India are suffering the most  than urban kids. While their families suffer to provide three meals for their household during the pandemic situation, providing educational toys is an impossible task and they may not even think or worry for this problem. In specific, children aged between 6 years and14 years in rural villages of underprivileged and belonging to the weaker section of society in India, are suffering worse than urban kids.  Though in the unprecedented situation, SPECTRA is continuing education through our learning centres,  this group of children are at risk of not developing fine and sensory-motor skills.

We, SPECTRA wishes that our learning center students to play with educational toys like math learning kit, science kit, DIY kit, activity kit, word puzzle, map, robot kits, brain games set, STEM toys, construction toys, craft kit, educational building blocks, magnetic puzzles.  For the rural children, educational toys are more importantly equal to books for present digital India. Currently they are trying their level best to make their learning innovative and interactive with stones, shells, and leaves. The educational toys will not only motivate them to continue their education but also help them  to prepare for STEM education, digital literacy. We are in need of few tech devices and gadgets like Tablets, Smartphones, Smart TV, Projector, Speakers, SD Cards to access few digital learning content which are very beneficial for rural students.

Our target population is inclusive of following:

• Poor, Ultra poor women   (Socio-economically poor)
• Scheduled Cast (SC), Backward Cast (BC), Minority (Meo Muslims) (Community, caste based)
• Women holding small and marginal farmers, landless,  farm labourers (Farmers' Landholding )
• women victims of domestic violence (Gender inequality)
• Drop out girl students from the above mentioned target population, children who never attended school

Mainstreaming the dropouts and girls who never attended school

An opportunity to a girl child in 6-14 years age who had dropped out and not attended the school should be provided with quality basic education, ensuring better early caring, learning environments for young children, increasing access to education, retention of the children in school and raising levels of academic achievement. Before mainstreaming, the girl children were introduced with community-based learning center where education plays a significant role in socio-economic development and cultural enrichment of the society and individuals. The community-based education provided by SPECTRA’s learning centres have brought amazing changes in the life of many girl children. The organization had played a crucial role in the increase of enrollment ration of the Upper primary school of Ramgarh Block through their mainstreaming programme of drop out and never attended children.

Girls child education programme in association with IIMPACT

The girls in the region of Rajasthan, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh face some primary issues like low girls’ enrolment, lack of female teachers in Govt. schools, single schoolteacher, and high dropout rate of students which voice the requirement of the support. SPECTRA firmly believe that education plays a significant role in socio-economic development and cultural enrichment of the society and individuals. SPECTRA with collaboration of IIMPACT started “Girls Education project” (2012-till present). The major goal is to improve the quality of basic education, ensuring better early caring and learning environments for young children, increasing access to education, retention of the children in school and raising levels of academic achievement. Total Learning centres 214 Currently functional learning centres 154  Rajasthan  Kishangarh bas, Ramgarh, and Tijara and Rajgarh blocks of Alwar   district (2012-till present)- 76 learning centres  Banswara district (Completed) (2012- 2018)- 30 learning centres  Haryana  Nuh Mewat (2012- Till present)-78 learning centres  Madhya Pradesh Khargone (Completed) (2012- 2018) 30 learning centres  The concept of learning centre SPECTRA in collaboration with IIMPACT operates a functional 154 learning centre in Rajasthan and Haryana as of date for the benefit of girl children. They follow Multi grade Multi level system of learning. Learning centres are the focus point for all round development of girls. From academic improvement to inculcation of values, that positively affects the holistic growth of a student. Besides academic work girls are taught the discipline, importance of punctuality and Etiquettes which plays vital role in day to day life.             The curriculum of Learning centres Class I to V For class I & II, the teachers  improving levels of Hindi  and Mathematics. For Class III to V, the teachers undertake the assessment of learning levels of  students and based on results, groups of students are formed and remedial teaching  is done. Remedial teaching package is delivered in 20-25 weeks to bring the students  up to the level of basic reading writing and arithmetic (three R’s). After the student is  competent with three R’s, s/he is more interested in class and copes up with the teaching  in class. The learning efficiency is maintained by use of pre-designed learning packages, individual tracking of progress, and monthly tests. Different Activities of Learning Centers Start the day with an assembly with the children. It contains- Meditation, Bal, Geet/Poem   Review Class of previous day   Reading Class- Hindi/English alternatively   English Class   Tiffin Period   Mathematics Class   Environmental Studies Class (Alternative class on- Health/Games/Drawing)   Remedial Class Other activities Teachers’ Training   In learning centers there are total 4 level in per class, up to class five. On a quarterly basis teachers are provided 5 days training for each level. Monthly Teachers’ meeting Alternate learning arrangement Preparation of study circle for the children Celebration of National days of importance Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti,  Children’s  Day, Teachers’ Day, New Year,  Janmasthami and other. Entertainment and recreation for students Organizing  Annual  Game and Sports Day for the children of learning center.       Training and awareness       Infrastructure facilities at Learning centres Libraries in  Learning Centre's To inculcate reading habit and enhance reading & comprehension, a library is set up in every Centre where we work. Books and bookshelves have been provided in these Centre's  and each class has weekly library hours for reading in school and students can also borrow books to read at home. Books are categorised and arranged as per age and learning competencies. Additionally, activities like reading stories from books, writing the self-read story, making pictures based on a story, telling stories to each other after reading from library books and telling stories in the morning assembly are also undertaken to emphasize the importance of reading. Centre Management Committees To bridge the trust between centre, community, and parents, centre Management Committees are formed to ensure participation of all stakeholders and improving the learning environment for children in centre and at home. Teachers, Community Members, Village heads and parents are part of this committee (attendance to meetings is open to all) and Spectra supports through training and exposure to enable them to manage the affairs of centre and improve management. Monthly meetings are conducted for discussing centre matters, student progress and ensuring attendance of children in school. Evaulation of girl children performance The students attendance are regulary recorded. QCA are conducted to do the assessment of the students. Teacher’s visiting the students houses frequently and meeting their parents. Every quarter Spectra organizes CMC meeting at each learning centre. Supervisors are instructed to spend one our extra at learning centre after centre timing. Meanwhile, teachers are supported on academic issues. Now Teachers are teaching girls at learning centre’s space, delivering all subject’s (Hindi, English, Maths and EVS) content daily 15 girls can attend the class. Quarterly Children Assessment and Quarterly Teacher Assessment  are conducted on every quarter, between 3rd to 12thof December 2021. Spectra’ conducted quarterly children assessment in more than 95% girls participated (excluding mainstream and 0 level girls).  Quarterly teacher assessment was conducted of all teachers between 01.12.2021 to 03.12.2021 in which 100% teachers and supervisors participated actively and 99% teachers obtained qualified marks (more than 34%).   Key points of evaluation Girl’s progress who are enrolled at LC Government schemes Girl’s attendance Importance of “Girl Child Education” Preventive measures of COVID-19 Success of ALA initiative Successful Alumni Girls Livelihood opportunities Health awareness COVID19 awareness and preventive measures   

Our design and implementation for the solution SPECTRA has already identified students from the communities and providing education and mainstreaming into govt schools through 154 learning centres in two states Rajasthan and Haryana. SPECTRA has received collaboration with India largest EdTech company BYJU's Education For All Programme for dissemination of digital learning content for grades 4 till higher secondary and other competitive  exams. Our model lacks technology support and pedagogical tools and devices for disseminating the  STEM curriculum 

financial barrier

• SPECTRA is facing financial constrains for procuring STEM Kits, DIYs, Toys in 154 learning centres.

technical barrier

• To initiate the digital literacy for the learning centre students, and STEM learning, the learning centres are not equipped with technical gadgets like computers, monitors, screen, projectors. Students are unable to learn digital literacy without practical knowledge.
• Lack of awareness of requirement of basic and applied ICT skills in job placements 
• Lack of student’s interest, attitude, perception and motivation in math, science, technology, and engineering among the rural communities.

Cultural barrier

• The role of women and girls in STEM is ignorant in the minds of rural communities.
• Creating awareness among rural communities about role of STEM in women and girl child empowerment.
• Understanding the parent’s attitude in providing STEM education for children
• Breaking sociocultural, psychological, pedagogical barriers for learning STEM education in remote rural villages in the state.

In Rajasthan, girls are abandoned from attending the school education, instead, they are forced to do early marriage. The issue gender inequality is very high and being followed for years in Rajasthan. In specific Mewati girls are not allowed to attend school. SPECTRA is empowering girl child education  by setting up Learning centres and mainstreaming the girls into school. In this digital era, we identified that, our rural community children are not aware of role of STEM education and its application in digital literacy. We are proposing this solution to be innovative one, as rural children who are devoid of basic STEM education and applied skills in Job market will be provided with hardware support, technical support and mentoring support to flourish in STEM education. This will enable them to take up STEM related courses after their higher secondary. If the young generation are seeded with STEM education, after few years, the community will be transformed into a ICT enabled one as the youth in every household will be aware of skills. This will help them to get the benefits of govt, and other benefits of digital India. This will eventually reduce the poverty and rural people will lead a dignified life.

1. Reducing the percentage of drop outs
2. Increasing the percentage of gross enrollment ratio
3. Increasing the percentage of mainstreaming of girls in govt schools
4. Improving the school infrastructure for enabling girl child education
5. Increasing the teachers ration in govt schools
6. improve educational facilities in learning centres and schools
7. Expanding our learning centres in other states
8. Explore opportunities for digital literacy for women and girl children in communities.
9.  Percentage increase in children attending school Improvement in school infrastructure SPECTRA, in collaboration with govt. upgraded the middle school to secondary school and classes were increased till 10th grade . 
10.  From academic improvement to inculcation of values, that positively affects the holistic growth of a student. Besides academic work girls are taught the discipline, importance of punctuality and Etiquettes which plays vital role in day to day life.            

Evaulation of girl children performance

The students attendance are regulary recorded. QCA are conducted to do the assessment of the students. Teacher’s visiting the students houses frequently and meeting their parents. Every quarter Spectra organizes CMC meeting at each learning centre. Supervisors are instructed to spend one our extra at learning centre after centre timing. Meanwhile, teachers are supported on academic issues. Now Teachers are teaching girls at learning centre’s space, delivering all subject’s (Hindi, English, Maths and EVS) content daily 15 girls can attend the class. Quarterly Children Assessment and Quarterly Teacher Assessment  are conducted on every quarter, between 3rd to 12thof December 2021. Spectra’ conducted quarterly children assessment in more than 95% girls participated (excluding mainstream and 0 level girls).  Quarterly teacher assessment was conducted of all teachers between 01.12.2021 to 03.12.2021 in which 100% teachers and supervisors participated actively and 99% teachers obtained qualified marks (more than 34%). 

Key points of evaluation

• Girl’s progress who are enrolled at LC
• Government schemes
• Girl’s attendance
• Importance of “Girl Child Education”
• Preventive measures of COVID-19
• Success of ALA initiative
• Successful Alumni Girls
• Livelihood opportunities
• Health awareness
• COVID19 awareness and preventive measures

 SDG indicators

SDG 4 Quality education

SDG 5 Gender equality

SDG 10 Reduced inequalities

SDG 17 partnerships for the goals

Need for learning and interactive toys

The School closure in India has made the students devoid of  having a happy  playtime with their peers. This pushess them to fall into severe mental trauma. Especially, children in rural villages of Kishangarh, Ramgarh and Rajgarh blocks of Rajasthan and Nua-Mewat Block of Haryana, who are already underprivileged and belonging to the weaker section of society in India are suffering the most  than urban kids. While their families suffer to provide three meals for their household during the pandemic situation, providing educational toys is an impossible task and they may not even think or worry for this problem. Back to school is also getting delayed due to wavering  omicron cases nationwide. Hence this group is at risk of not developing sensory-motor skills. 

• The educational toys will make the kids to learn with more love, interest and enthusiastic.
• More kids will get encouraged to attend learning centre and school, which will eventually make their parents thought process of providing education for girl child
• Gives basic foundation for STEM learning
• Helps to understand digital literacy as these educational toys are logic, and analysis based
• Increases the IQ, creaates problem solving skills (which is most necessary for girl child to face her future challenges).
• Improves focus and concentration
• Cultivates creativity, innovative skills in early education
• Making their learnng centres a colourful one transform their life a lot.

In our learning centres, the students are taught with the existing syllabus with the book materials and resource materials. The students are not having the facility to get the inetrcative digital learning videos. The susbcription rates are also very costly and requires internet services in the remote villages to access from the youtube or other plaforms. The students are not exposed to the use of smart devices like smartphones, tablets and smart tv which are the recent innovations in digital India. In urban, the students who have internet and smart gadgets facilities are learning advanced study materials for improving their academics along with school curriculum.The rural students are either exposed to smart devices or the advanced digital learning resources.

STEM education will be the core technology to be used via stem related educational toys and Kits. EdTech learning materials will be taught for classes 4 to higher secondary students

Mainstreaming the dropouts and girls who never attended school

An opportunity to a girl child in  6-14 years age who had dropped out and not attended the  school should be provided with quality basic education, ensuring better early caring, learning environments for young children, increasing access to education, retention of the children in school and raising levels of academic achievement. Before mainstreaming, the girl children were introduced with  community-based learning centerwhere education plays a significant role in socio-economic development and cultural enrichment of the society and individuals. The community based education provided by SPECTRA’s learning centres have brought amazing changes in the life of many girl children. The organization had played a crucial role in the increase of enrollment ration of the Upper primary school of Ramgarh Block through their mainstreaming programme of drop out and never attended children.

Community based learning and preparation for mainstreaming of drop outs and never enrolled girl children 

The concept of learning centre SPECTRA in collaboration with IIMPACT operates a functional 154 learning centre in Rajasthan and Haryana as of date for the benefit of girl children. In Ramgarh Block, SPECTRA runs ---- Learning centres. They follow Multi grade Multi level system of learning. Learning centres are the focus point for all round development of girls. From academic improvement to inculcation of values, that positively affects the holistic growth of a student. Besides academic work girls are taught the discipline, importance of punctuality and Etiquettes which plays vital role in day to day life

Infrastructure facilities at Learning centres

Libraries in  Learning Centre's

To inculcate reading habit and enhance reading & comprehension, a library is set up in every Centre where we work. Books and bookshelves have been provided in these Centre's  and each class has weekly library hours for reading in school and students can also borrow books to read at home. Books are categorised and arranged as per age and learning competencies. Additionally, activities like reading stories from books, writing the self-read story, making pictures based on a story, telling stories to each other after reading from library books and telling stories in the morning assembly are also undertaken to emphasize the importance of reading.

Centre Management Committees

To bridge the trust between centre, community, and parents, centre Management Committees are formed to ensure participation of all stakeholders and improving the learning environment for children in centre and at home. Teachers, Community Members, Village heads and parents are part of this committee (attendance to meetings is open to all) and Spectra supports through training and exposure to enable them to manage the affairs of centre and improve management. Monthly meetings are conducted for discussing centre matters, student progress and ensuring attendance of children in school.

Evaulation of girl children performance

The students attendance are regulary recorded. QCA are conducted to do the assessment of the students. Teacher’s visiting the students houses frequently and meeting their parents. Every quarter Spectra organizes CMC meeting at each learning centre. Supervisors are instructed to spend one our extra at learning centre after centre timing. Meanwhile, teachers are supported on academic issues. Now Teachers are teaching girls at learning centre’s space, delivering all subject’s (Hindi, English, Maths and EVS) content daily 15 girls can attend the class. Quarterly Children Assessment and Quarterly Teacher Assessment  are conducted on every quarter,  in which 100% teachers and supervisors participated actively and 99% teachers obtained qualified marks 

Funds will be recieved from Donors, CSR grants, State departments, Central departments, convergence with state and centrally sponsored schemes.

The funds will be used for human resurces, educational materials, technology devices

2019-2020

2020-2021

Source

INR

Source

INR

Donor agencies

20189346

Donor agencies

22291542

Govt. Organization

2667137

Govt. Organization

3483664

Individual Donor

230820

Individual Donor

1170580