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Pratham, an NGO that works towards providing primary education and assessing educational levels of children, has completed phase one of its citizen oriented assessment system, Lakhon Mein Ek, in Tamil Nadu. The programme allows anyone to get personal understanding of educational levels of children in society.
The NGO comes out with an annual survey that assesses educational levels of children between the ages of six and 14. To mark its tenth year, Pratham has come out with an initiative to improve educational levels of children, especially in the rural belt. “We have been assessing the educational levels, and the reports reveal that the levels vary between poor and average across the country. We wanted to do something to boost these levels. The most effective way would be to get citizens to participate in their own village or community,” said state head of Pratham, Tamil Nadu, B Oliver.
In TN, 962 volunteers, including representatives from NGOs, corporates, college and school students and individuals, carried out the assessment in 1,184 villages/communities across the state. “The volunteers are given a kit, which comprises reading and mathematical exercises for Class 2 students.
The children of the village are assembled in a common place, like a temple, community hall, or even the street, and the assessment is carried out in front of the parents and the public,” Oliver said. The school teachers or the panchayat heads are also informed about the exercise. Oliver said, “The individual results are recorded in a sheet, which is sent to us, and the average performance of the village is posted on the village’s notice board.”
The results, according to Pratham, will make parents, villagers and teachers think about the educational levels, and ways to improve them. “Once this realization sets in, it’s natural that people will work towards improving educational levels. When we spoke to the volunteers, we realized they were keen on bringing in change,” Oliver said.
M Velumani, a volunteer and first year student of BSc biochemistry, who carried out the assessment in Kuttaipudur village in Mettupalayam, said, “I was introduced to this assessment by one of my seniors. I did not know that the reading and mathematical competency among children in my village was poor. I am looking forward to the training which will teach us measures to improve education levels.”
Phase one, the assessment of educational levels, is over.