Samata After-School Program:

Enhancing educational opportunities for Zilla Parishad school students, migrant sugar cane worker’s and rag pickers children through after-school program and teacher capacity building in Maharashtra

ISSUES WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS:

The current education ecosystem in Maharashtra's Zilla Parishad schools falls short in providing students with access to essential skills, guidance, mentoring, and counselling, which impedes the growth and potential of students, further highlighting the importance of proper mentoring and counselling. Although Zilla Parishad Teachers are doing commendable work, institutional governance challenges and lack of sufficient funds limit student’s access to critical skills and guidance, hindering their growth and potential. Additionally, rag pickers, seasonal migrant sugar cane workers and their families face significant socio-economic challenges and have limited access to educational resources. The lack of a comprehensive education system perpetuates socio-economic disparities and hinders progress in the region. Therefore, targeted after-school programs are crucial to bridge this gap and empower students to succeed holistically.

Reference:
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/653-schools-pune-zilla-parishad-students-poor-learning-levels-8490729/

THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM ARE:

The primary objective of this after-school program is to provide comprehensive education and life skill development opportunities to Zilla Parishad school students and seasonal migrant sugar cane workers and their families. The program will focus on the holistic development of the participants, including academic skills, critical thinking, leadership, and life skills. The program will also promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and constitutional values.

 

For early stage learners till grade 5th our focus is: 

  1. To enhance learners' reading and writing abilities by providing meaningful and engaging activities.
  2. To develop learners' fundamental understanding and competency in numeracy and related concepts.
  3. To equip learners with skills to integrate their outside-of-school experiences with classroom learning, leading to better foundational literacy and numeracy.
  4. To reduce dropout rates and ensure universal access to education at all levels.

For learners from grade 5th to 10th our focus is: 

  1. To promote equity, diversity, inclusion, active citizenship and constitutional values in all aspects of the program.
  2. Development of critical thinking, leadership, and life skills through experiential learning and learning by doing.
Activity Based Learning and Project Based Learning is used by as as a tool

Our Target Audience Are:

  1. Students studying in Zilla Parishad Schools
  2. Children of seasonal migrant sugar cane workers and rag pickers
  3. Zilla Parishad School Teachers
  4. Young people who aspire to work as educators

Our Goal:

At Samata After-School Program, we recognize that a child's development is multi-faceted and encompasses various domains, including physical and motor, socio-emotional, literacy and numeracy, cognitive, spiritual and moral, as well as art and aesthetics. These domains are interconnected and mutually dependent, and we strive for holistic development in each of them. Our approach is centered around three key developmental goals:

  • Goal 1: Ensuring children maintain good health and well-being.
  • Goal 2: Developing effective communication skills in children.
  • Goal 3: Encouraging children to become engaged learners and connect with their immediate environment.

By prioritizing these goals, we aim to provide a comprehensive education that prepares children for success and empowers them to thrive in all aspects of their lives.

PILLARS OF SAMATA CENTER’S PEDAGOGY:

By incorporating these pedagogical approaches, we aim to achieve the desired objectives of developing foundational literacy and numeracy skills, promoting critical thinking and leadership skills, and ensuring universal access to education while promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and constitutional values. This approach helps to ensure that students are achieving the desired learning outcomes and reduces the dropout rate.

Socio-Emotional Well-being and
Community Engagement

The Samata after-school program focuses on promoting socio-emotional development through practices such as mindfulness, conflict resolution, and community building. Parent engagement and development are also emphasized to support the holistic growth of students.

Personalized Learning

The Samata after-school program tailors learning experiences to the individual needs and strengths of each student, using a variety of approaches including individualized instruction, small group activities, and technology-based resources. The goal is to foster foundational literacy and numeracy skills in a way that best suits each learner.

Experiential Learning and Life Skills

The Samata after-school program emphasizes experiential learning to develop critical thinking, leadership, and life skills in real-world contexts. Field trips, project-based learning, and hands-on activities are used to help learners apply what they have learned and develop practical skills that will benefit them academically and personally.

Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity

The Samata after-school program prioritizes creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment that values diversity and promotes equal access to educational opportunities for all learners. The program is committed to creating a safe and welcoming space where every student feels respected, valued, and supported.

Project-Based Learning

Samata After-School integrates project-based learning activities that provide opportunities for students to apply their learning to real-world scenarios. This approach helps to develop life skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem solving.

Multi-sensory Teaching

We train Zilla Parishad Teachers to train them as facilitators and enable them to incorporate a variety of teaching methods that cater to different learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This approach helps to make learning more engaging and enjoyable for students.

Program Design:

The after-school program is implemented through a series of modules that cover a range of topics related to life skills, gender equality, active citizenship skills, and STEM education. These modules will is designed in consultation with education experts, and each module I delivered by qualified and experienced instructors. The modules are designed to be interactive and engaging, with a focus on practical learning and real-world applications. They are delivered in a variety of formats, including workshops, seminars, and hands-on activities.

The Samata after-school program is designed to cater to the specific needs of the participants. The program is centered around the following objectives:

Literacy and Numeracy Development

The program focuses on targeted literacy and numeracy development opportunities to enhance the students' basic understanding and competencies related to reading, writing, and numeracy.

Experiential Learning and Learning by Doing

The program focuses on hands-on, experiential learning opportunities to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

Life Skills Development

The program focuses on developing life skills such as communication, decision-making, time management, and stress management.

Inclusion, Equity and Active Citizenship

The program focuses on inclusion and equity by providing targeted support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including seasonal migrant sugar cane workers and their families.

Program Implementation Status as on May 2023:

Phase 1 Objective

To enhance teaching-learning quality in Zilla Parishad School Teachers

Actions Achieved:

  • We collaborated with Agriculture Development Trust to train 270 teachers of Zilla Parishad schools as facilitators on gender equality, teaching skills incorporating experiential learning.
  • Build the capabilities of Zilla Parishad Teachers through the Teaching Mentors Program.
  • Incorporated learning-focused methods and materials from the official curriculum of DIETs in our training program.
  • We made an effort to bridge the capacity gap of academic institutions to design and implement teacher support programs.
  • Established a focused group network of teachers to address mental health and well-being issues of women and girls in schools.
  • Train educators, teachers, and local civil society stakeholders to improve awareness and knowledge of the importance of menstrual hygiene management.
  • Advocated for Improve access to sanitation infrastructure in schools.

Phase 2 to be launched in July 2023
Phase 2 Objective

To provide after-school education to seasonal migrant sugar cane worker’s and rag pickers children as well as students of Zilla Parishad Schools

Students in Gujarat watching session of Pravin Nikam on schools and sanitation

Actions that we aspire to achieve:

  • Initiate phase 2 of the project in July 2023
  • Conduct the program at Zilla Parishad schools and community centers in sugar cane farming areas.
  • Ensure accessibility of the program to seasonal migrant sugar cane workers and their families.
  • Provide personalized support to the participants through trained and experienced educators.
  • Run the program for 5 hours per week after school hours, two days a week.
  • Target 500 students in this phase and evaluate the program's effectiveness.
  • Scale up the project based on the evaluation results.
  • Evaluation: The program will be evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Pre and post-program assessments will be conducted to assess the participants' learning outcomes. The program's impact on participants' academic performance, life skills, and socio-economic status will also be evaluated.

Samata After-School Learning Outcomes

  • Improved literacy and numeracy skills through personalized learning opportunities and individualized instruction, with the added benefit of mentoring and counseling support for students who need it.
  • Development of critical thinking, leadership, and life skills through experiential learning opportunities, such as field trips and project-based learning activities, coupled with guidance and counseling from mentors and educators.
  • Enhanced socio-emotional well-being and ethical decision-making skills through the implementation of socio-emotional learning practices and engagement with the parent community, supported by counseling and mentorship services.
  • Increased access to STEM education, which can lead to greater career opportunities in the future, with mentoring and counseling services available to help students pursue their interests in STEM fields.
Afer school session focused on gender, career opportunities
  • Improved understanding of gender equality issues, which can lead to greater gender sensitivity and awareness in society, supported by counseling and mentorship efforts to help students navigate these complex issues.
  • Development of active citizenship skills, which can lead to greater civic engagement and community involvement, with mentors and counselors available to guide students as they become more involved in their communities.
  • Increased sense of equity, diversity, and inclusion, leading to greater social cohesion and understanding among participants, with the help of mentoring and counseling services to address any challenges that may arise.
  • Improved academic performance and confidence, leading to greater success in school and beyond, with the added support of mentors and counselors who can help students overcome academic challenges and achieve their goals.

Samata Centers' “After-School Program” is strengthened
by the training we received:

Our Founder, Pravin Nikam, was shortlisted and underwent training in UNESCO MGIEP's and LIFE University's framework on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), known as EMCC, which stands for Empathy, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Critical Inquiry. Through this program, he gained skills in emotional awareness, including training in Compassionate Integrity Training (CIT), which he has now incorporated into the Samata After-School Program. As a result, students in the program will benefit from the development of these important SEL skills,and which can help them navigate and thrive in various social and emotional situations both in and out of school.

UNESCO MGIEP Program: 60 Young Leaders coming from across the globe underwent Compassionate Integrity Training (CIT) to build their capacities on socio-emotional learning.  

 

(In Picture: President of India Ram Nath Kovind and UNESCO MGIEP Director Anantha Duraiappah at UNESCO MGIEP Program along with 60 young leaders.)

About Action For Impact Foundation

Action For Impact Foundation works through collaborative partnerships and advocacy initiatives with civil society organizations, government agencies, media and other stakeholders to promote public policy, access to education and sports, justice, gender equality and to advocate human rights of all individuals.

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