Programme 2011-12
School based Library project- A creative space in MCD Schools
PDEI has been working very closely with the MCD school system for about 10 years. To take this partnership to the next level, it approached the latter in early 2011 with the following suggestion:
"With the enactment of the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, it is the duty of the teacher to "assess the learning ability of each child and accordingly supplement additional instructions, if any, as required" [Section 24(1) (d)]. MCD schools cater mostly the first generation school goers which create an additional challenge for the teachers to build and sustain the interest of children in reading and learning. “Creative space", which will be a functional part of Libraries in schools, intends to provide opportunities to children to have free access to several interesting story books, activities which stimulate them to creatively explore the books and other book based activities".
MCD accepted the proposal and signed an MoU with PDEI to help the former in setting up creative space in its 500 schools during 2011-12. In the first phase, PDEI launched the initiative in 200 MCD schools spread across 5 Municipal zones of Delhi. The details of the project are as follows:
Goal- to create a sustainable functional model of Library in MCD schools in accordance with the schedule of the Right to Education Act 2009 and Revised Framework of Implementation of SSA dated 28/2/2011.
Specific objectives of this project, being implemented in collaborative mode with schools are:
Encourage children to “learn to read” and then to read to learn and enjoy reading thereby ensuring self learning among children.
Create a culture of creative dialogue between teacher and children using story books as a medium.
Key component of the project are:
A "creative space" is being set up in the schools with child friendly equipments and books. Pratham supports MCD schools in setting up these centers. A trained volunteer of Pratham assists the MCD school teachers in interacting with children, helping them to read and do other creative activities everyday in accordance with school wise plan. Other details are as follows:
MCD has provided space, regular Library books, basic furniture and some stationary items in each of the project schools.
The schools have set aside a Library period for each of the class and section in the regular school time table.
The activities with children are jointly conducted by School teachers and PDEI volunteer. PDEI has shortlisted the schools, identified and trained community volunteers to assist the schools in operationalising the activities in creative space.
PDEI has developed an assessment tool which is administered with external support to measure the impact of the intervention. It has also shared the plan with MCD to hold a quarterly workshop with all the participating schools to share Learning of the project and document it for wider dissemination and replication.
Outcome- The expected outcome of this project is that children become fluent readers and develop interest and bonding with books. The indicators on which, the impact would be measured are:
Children of Std I being able to read independent words and speak few sentences on a given picture.
Children of Std II & III being able to read simple paragraph and narrate short story on a given picture and write few sentences on it.
Children of Std IV & V being able to read a full text and write an independent story using few leading words.
Change in the number of children who issue books voluntarily to read.