Problem Statement
The deficit in the quality of learning among children attending public schools in India is now a well-chronicled problem . Legions of studies – both government and private, as well as some comparative international studies – on learning outcomes in our schools, point out the glaring inadequacy among the children to acquire basic literacy and numeracy. This foundational deficit i
s compounded by the fact that most children do not get any supplementary learning support at their homes, they being first generation learners. The learning gap subsequently snowballs into a wide abyss, adversely impacting the productivity and quality of life at a national level. At the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum, high end schools that resemble five-star hotels and offer their students everything under the sun – from learning on tablets to horse-riding classes – are springing up across the urban sprawls of the country. Though these hi-tech teaching methods are not a guarantee for quality education, it cannot be denied that the exposure and varied experiences that the typical high-end private school child receives is in stark contrast to her public-school counterpart. The other significant difference between government schools and private schools is the better quality and higher attendance of teachers in the private schools. All this, together with the home-support that the city-bred privately-school child gets, is leading to a huge and growing chasm between the children from a private school background and those from a public school background. This does not augur well for the social fabric of the country in the decades to come. Specific Causes for the Problem
Other than the factors mentioned above, specific causes for the poor quality of education emerge as one takes a closer look at the ground situation. Lack of accountability among government school teachers. A monitoring system exists largely on paper. Lack of parental awareness about parameters of quality education. High pupil-teacher ratio: The number of schools in a community is not mapped according to the population. Densely populated low-income urban areas usually have too many children per classroom, making quality an elusive challenge. No recourse to remedial/supplementary learning measures. Though private tuition is rampant, there is no quality control around it. Inadequacy of Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE). Increasing research-based evidence supports the observation that children who receive quality care and education at the pre-school stage (3 – 5 years) fare better than their counterparts who don’t. Provision of ECCE in underserved communities is virtually non-existent. Possible Solution: Implementation of a strong learning-support program at the community level, with the help of women from more educated and affluent background that sees children through the first 7 years of their early childhood and primary education. Sahpathi – The Concept
Sahpathi is envisaged as an education intervention of Agrasar, aimed at providing ongoing academic and extra-curricular support to children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, which can potentially address the significant quality deficit in government/low-cost private schools. It draws its strength from being rooted in its community of beneficiaries, and yet being connected to more ‘developed’ communities through a “bridge-mentor”. Sahpathi starts by identifying and enrolling a group of 15 children in the age group of 5 – 7 years in a low income community – each such group becoming a cohort. This cohort is entrusted to a community facilitator, an educated young woman from within the community, whose task it is to provide supplementary early childhood care and education to these children. Even if the children are school-going, the community facilitator would provide the much-needed supplementary learning support. This support would transcend mere academic support, and would extend to include overall development of the children – physical, cognitive, social, and psychological. An important component of Sahpathi would be the “bridge-mentor” – a committed and empathetic individual from the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum from a nearby locality. The bridge-mentor would work with one community facilitator and her cohort to ensure that the cohort’s development is progressing as planned. She (or he) would be the sounding-board for the community facilitator, communicating with her on the phone every day, and visiting the classroom sessions regularly. She would keep the cohort (and the community facilitator) updated with technology-led learning tools. Most importantly, she would play the role of a friend-philosopher-guide to the community facilitator, helping her stay motivated in her role. The community facilitator and her bridge mentor would work with the cohort for several years (a minimum of five years) as the children move from early childhood stage to the primary education stage. The Sahpathi concept revolves around the premise that the foundation of learning – and one’s personality – is built during the early childhood years, roughly between the ages of 5 and 12, and inadequate or inappropriate stimuli during these years can significantly impact an individual’s growth and development. By ensuring that the cohort of 15 children continually receive strong, positive support during these years, it can be hoped that the children would blossom into mature and confident individuals, irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds, capable of taking meaningful decisions - and the responsibility for the outcome of these decisions – upon themselves. The cost of implementing Sahpathi is Rs. 6000/- per child per year (or Rs. 500 per child per month).
