* Supplementary Schools:
As mentioned earlier, in Irabgera sector, around 400 children in the school going age group cannot access formal education due to the lack of government schools in 10 of these hamlets and the poor quality of education in the other existing 11 government schools. In FY '02 the project began supplementary schools in 18 hamlets in this sector and has added 3 more schools to date.

At present, these schools are run by a group of local teachers under the banner of Shikshakara Samuha, and cater to the education of children between the age group of 3 to 11 years. During the Project period, the Shikshakara Samuha will also take up the educational needs of older children in classes 6 and 7. More number of Shikshakara Samuha teachers will be recruited in proportion to the increased coverage.

Supplementary schools function on a 'quality school' education program model and operate within clearly defined educational frameworks which integrate on-going teacher training with weekly lesson planning, and a structured daily schedule within which children are facilitated to operate within capability groups. Each child is regularly assessed, as are the teachers. The concept behind the supplementary schools is to be able to provide essential life skills like reading, writing and basic arithmetic to the children. The curriculum and process followed is that developed by KT Margarette, the former Education Sector Head of SAMUHA.

During FY02, the Block Education Officer (BEO) issued a notification that all Supplementary Schools be treated on par with government run schools. This means that Supplementary Schools now enjoy all benefits and affiliates accredited to government schools.

While strengthening the Education Resource Center (ERC) in the Irabgera area, the Project will also facilitate setting up of Village Education Committees (VEC's) take on a role similar to that of SDMC's as a monitoring body of Shikshakara Samuha schools.

* Government School Assistants:
Prompted by the alarming teacher:student ratios in government schools the Project has initiated local youth to take on the role of Government School Assistants (GSA's). The Project facilitates the SDMC to assess their own schools, and to make requests for GSA's. These GSA's visit families, motivate parents, support re-enrolment and community sensitisation / motivation programs and after-school activities. This has been a sporadic intervention to-date based on requests and will now be developed as a stand-alone initiative. SAMUHA-Plan will support GSA's and VEA's with regular trainings in specified subjects. SDMC members will accompany all trainings.

* Teaching and learning kits:
These aim to provide hands-on experiential and enjoyable learning for children.
These kits contain tangible teaching aids like puzzles, models, rubber alphabets besides self explanatory charts and are designed with a thorough- "concept" understanding of the subject, reinforcement and evolution of a child's learning process. These kits also evoke an interest in both the learner / tutor and have been tried and tested by various schools and NGDO's through out the country besides being tested in the project village schools.

* Teacher's Network:
Is a group of committed government school teachers and educational department personnel who were facilitated through the Project to come together as a Teachers Resource Group -an informal association in each of the 2 operational districts leading to a teacher2teacher program.

This core group of teacher's, meet regularly to discuss innovative approaches to education and are instrumental in training other government school teacher's in the Project area.

* Teacher motivation:
Activities such as celebration of a teacher's day will be an add-on to existing activities. These aim to encourage and revitalize teachers in their duty towards educating children.
Computer classes will also be made accessible to teachers / village education animators. Teachers and VEA's can make use of various applications / tools to create and manage time-tables, lesson plans and prepare teaching material. Internet accessibility will also help teachers access educational resources, information on government programs and eventually motivate children to become computer literate.

* Balavana (children's forests) and Balavana Committees:
Elements of the environmental education and a Balavana-children's forests-initiative, have been part of the FY'00-'02 CIDA-funded Watershed Development PO and will be integrated here. This activity has been undertaken through planting of a model forest in 10 project villages in the Irkalgada area. Children taking part in this activity come together through a Balavana Committee to oversee the maintenance of these forests. This program will also be expanded into the Deodurg area in the project period.

* Development Rights Education package:
A Development Rights Education package for rural communities will also be framed to bring in a proper understanding of the developmental process and philosophy. This activity will be based on SAMUHA-Plan's experience conducting SC / SF workshops over the last 2 years. These workshops help the children and their parents to understand the relationship between sponsors / sponsor countries and the local community and also provide an opportunity for children to have fun and run around.

* Drop-out re-enrolment and retention:
To re-enrol school drop-outs and enrol children who may have not yet been enrolled. This will be built around community awareness, involvement, re-enrolment and classroom involvement for retention. The program will also receive support through child activities and events.

* Child events:
This will continue to evolve from SAMUHA-Plan experiences to-date. In addition to seasonal events and camps, SAMUHA-Plan will develop on on-going activities in all 91 project villages. These include celebration of Children's and Teacher's Days and, educational exposures.

* Children's Clubs and Magazine:
Children will be facilitated to meet periodically and discuss children's issues. During FY02, SAMUHA-Plan had formed 5 such children's clubs in 5 villages as a pilot and will extend this to 50 clubs in as many villages in the present project period. Children's clubs provide a forum for children to come together and interact with each other. Children also come together for group activities like work camps, education campaigns in these villages.

* Coaching classes:
One of the primary reasons for drop-out among older children is their inability to "clear" the Public board exams conducted by the government for children of class 7 and 10. The PO will facilitate coaching classes for such students to help them handle these examinations better by providing solved question papers, model tests and intensive coaching.

* Computer classes:
During the previous FY, the Project was instrumental in piloting a summer holiday Computer course in the Deodurg area. In all, 36 children attended the course in 2 batches. The pilot was quite a success as documented through participant responses.

In the coming years, the Project will enlarge upon this venture. Around 240 children will benefit from these Computer classes which will be conducted through out the year except during school vacations.

SAMUHA-Plan hopes to prepare children readied to take advantage of Computer based academic learning. Through this activity parents of children will also be aided to indirectly overcome an aversion to IT.

* Bullock cart 'school bus':
Alarmingly high rates of school drop outs in the Project area have also been attributed to scarce and reliable modes of transport. Children have to travel to middle schools (class 6 and 7) and then on to high school (classes 8 to 10) at distances between 5-15 km's from their villages. To address this problem, the project will explore the viability of providing bullock carts for transport with a positive discrimination towards girl children and children with disability.

* Para-hostels:
This is another proposed pilot which will be implemented during the project period. Parents themselves will be encouraged to run accommodation facilities for children staying away from their village to access middle and high schools. As the facility is in the hands of parents, they can decide on how best to run it and insure its sustainability. It also provides an alternative to travelling large distances daily in order to reach the school.

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