SHIKSHAK SAMAKHYA TEACHER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

Item

Title
SHIKSHAK SAMAKHYA
TEACHER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
extracted text
' STATE CO.U NCILf’OF ED UCATIONAL
RESEARCH & TRAINING,
MADHYAPRADESH, BHOPAL
&
UNICEF

cue

James Grant with
UNICEF Officers and
children at Dhar

iream

Community Health Cell
Library and Information Centre
# 367, “Srinivasa Nilaya”
Jakkasandra 1st Main,
1st Block, Koramangala,
BANGALORE - 560 034.
Phone : 553 15 18 / 552 53 72
e-mail : chc@sochara.org

>T0 : PRAKASH DEO

SHIKSHAK SAMAKHYA
TEACHER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
PERCEPTION TO PRACTICE

STATE COUNCIL OF EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH & TRAINING,
MADHYA PRADESH, BHOPAL
&
UNICEF

© SCERT, M.P.,Bhopal
UNICEF, Bhopal

PREPARED BY
RAMESH DAVE
RAMESH CHANDRA DUBEY
DR. SUSHMA HUKKU

GUIDANCE

H.G. OBHRAI, DIRECTOR, SCERT
JUDE HENRIQUES, UNICEF, MP., BHOPAL

Cor

FEBRUARY, 1995

1

TEACHER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
(SHIKSHAK SAMAKHYA IN MADHYA PRADESH)

INTRODUCTION : Primary Education in Prime Focus
The

World

Conference

on

Education

for

All

in

Jomtien (Thailand) 1990 and the Delhi Declaration, 1993

declared four major goals to meet Basic Learning Needs
and agreed to evolve a frame-work for action for these

needs in the contexts of the goals. The major goals set in

Jomtien were—
(a)

Expansion

of

Early

Childhood

Care

and

Development activities.

(b)

Universal Access and

Completion of Primary

Education.

2.

(c)

Halving the present Illiteracy Rate, and

(d)

Providing Continuing Education for All.

Primary Education is considered to be CUTTING

EDGE of development. The Teacher Empowerment Project
envisages to intervene in the system of education through
the empowerment of teachers for using Primary Education

as a powerful agent of transforming not only the state of

Primary Education in Madhya Pradesh but also bringing
about social transformation. The project is also purported to
evolve such a methodology through which the teacher

community of the State might become autonomous and self

Pl

reliant in order to revolutionise the scenario of the Primary

Education in the State. This is the first project of its kind in
which the prime focus is on TEACHER, with the belief that if
the teacher is motivated, encouraged and reassociated with
the ancient glory and confidence, the entire process of

education will get transformed with better access, more
enrolment and higher levels of achievement.

3.

MADHYA PRADESH AND PRIMARY EDUCATION
The present State of Madhya Pradesh was formed

on 1 November, 1956. It has 5 major linguistic regions with

45 revenue districts and 54 education districts. There are

459 Development Blocks of which 174 Blocks belong to the
Tribal Welfare Department. There are 76,333 Villages and

106291 habitations in the State. The population of the State

according to 1991 census is 66.6 million. Thus it is the
largest State in the Country in terms of its geographical

area.

4.

The State is one of ten educationally backward

States in the country. According to 1991 census, only 43.45
percent of the population is literate of which the female

literacy rate is 28.39 and male literacy rate is 57.53 percent.

The State is covered by a wide network of 66849 Primary
Schools, 13977 Middle Schools (Upper Primary Schools)

and about 5000 High and Higher Secondary Schools. The
Fifth Education Survey reports that a Primary School is
available in the State at every one km. distance covering

93% of the rural population. At present there are about

18,000 villages/hemlets which do not have primary school
facilities at all. The State is also running 340 Non-formal

Education

Projects

with

about

[2]

34,000

Centres.

The

enrolment in the primary schools is reported to be 83.86%

of which there are 98.28% boys and 69.04% girls. The
drop-out rate from classes l-V is reported to be nearly 34%

5.

There has also been an increase in the population of

School teachers and most of the schools which were earlier
single teacher schools, have now been strenghthened as

two teacher schools. A large number of teachers (about

31%)

are

untrained.

are

There

hardly

10%

of school

buildings which have 5 class-rooms. Most of the schools
are devoid

of teaching

such

aids

as

Charts,

Posters,

Drawing Materials, Blackboards, Crayons/Chalk etc. and

where these things are available most of the teachers either

do not use them or they are not trained how to use them.
The common practice in schools is to begin with alphabet

and numerals with minimum use of play-way activities and
child centred teaching learning materials.

6.

the

The training of teacher has a very high importance in
Education

System

Elementary Training

of

the

Institutes

State.

are

There

of which 45

are

50

District

Institutes of Education and Training. They conduct a two
year certificate course in education at the pre-degree level.

Besides the institutional training system there have been
short term training and orientation courses known as The
Programme

for

Mass

(PMOST), Operation

Orientation

for

School

Teachers

Black-board (OB) training Courses

and other subject-wise inservice Courses held from time to
time.

7.

Inspite of the expansion in education facilities, the

Universalisation of Primary Education continues to be a

dream and there is still a large section of school going
children which either does not go to the school or for whom

[3]

the facilities of schooling are yet not available. The teachers

are the basic link between the school and the children in the

community. As most of the parents are themselves illiterate
and uneducated, the teacher assumes an important role to

establish the link between the school and the children. With

this powerful role of a teacher in mind, it was imperative to

EMPOWER TEACHERS
skills,

essential

with

suitable

materials,

classroom

teaching-learning
teaching

aids,

enrichment of content areas and classroom management

skills in order to ensure that effective and efficient learning
takes place in Classrooms with more activities and better

approaches. The constitutional commitment of providing
Elementary Education to all children between 6-14 age

groups

would

be

only

fulfilled

promoting

by

various

resources available in the State. The teacher is the most

significant

human

resource

and

there

are

about

two

hundred fifty thousand teachers working at the elementary

stage in the State. If their potential is positively utilised and
they are empowered, the cherished goal of Universalisation

of

Primary

impossibility.

by

With

concept

this

AD

2000

Education

in

will

not

be

mind

the

Teacher

an

Empowerment Project (Shikshak Samakhya) was launched

in

the year

1992 with

specific

targets of empowering

teachers and for it the project set the following objectives.

8.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
i)

To

develop

achieving

a

the

comprehensive
goal

of

strategy

for

Universalisation

of

Primary Education by 2000 AD in the State.

ii)

To ensure that all children are enrolled and

complete

their five year primary

attaining

the

specific

Minmum

education
Levels

Learning in each subject at each standard.

[4]

of

To develop and try out a core set of activities in

iii)

up

order to build

capacity and

confidence

amongst teachers.
To launch the project initially in development

iv)

blocks of five selected districts and then to
expand it in all the districts of the DPEP and

the rest of the districts of the State phase-wise.

To create synergetic relationships and linkages

v)

with other institutions devoted to UPE, EFA
and TLC etc.

To Co-ordinate with the Department of School

vi)

Education, Government of India, Rajiv Gandhi

Shiksha Mission of the State and the UNICEF
for initiating,

expanding

and

evaluating

the

project.

9.

TEACHER EMPOWERMENT AND
SOME BASIC ASSUMPTIONS :
The Shikshak Smakhya Project has been developed

for the empowerment of teachers in order to create their
positive

interventionist

role

for

the

quality

of

Primary

Education in the State. Shikshak Smakhya means 'An

Equal Say of Teachers'. The project is one of the most
unusual

approaches to the

renewal and revival of the

school system through a radical process of teacher training.
The dysfunctional system has to be made functional and

classrooms

have

to

be

bright,

colourful,

attractive,

educationally functional suiting to the learning needs and

interests of children. The project is built upon the following
assumptions:

(i)

Every individual teacher is responsible for the

teaching/

learning

[5]

environment

of

his/her

classroom.
(ii)

Teachers have the potential to make schools

beautiful and learning interesting.

(iii)

if they are

Teachers get highly motivated

involved in decisions effecting their training

and teaching. If they prepare and use their

own

materials,

teaching/learning

they

develop greater confidence in themselves,

suppressed

discover

and

talents

gain

recognition from their peers, the children they
teach, and the local community.

(iv)

Peer support and awareness of new ideas
are

important

for

any

profession

and

particularly important for teachers working in
isolated and difficult circumstances.
(v)

support

Communities
teachers

only

children

are

schools

and

that

their

experience

and

their

when

they

see

enjoying

the

learning something worthwhile.
(vi)

Practising, successful, enthusiastic teachers
are the best people to train other teachers

and to mobilise community resources.
(vii)

Teachers

do

can

their

under

best

any

circumstances if they experience professional

administrative

satisfaction,
settlement

of

their

financial

support,

matters

and

redressal of other problems and recognition
from the govt, and the community.

(viii)

It is only highly motivated school teachers,

who can motivate primary school teachers.
Hence a trainer is not supposed to belong to

any training institution necessarily.

[6]

(ix)

quality,

High

approaches

cost

low

are

necessary if an innovative approach is to be

sustainable in the Indian context.

10.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND

FORMATION OF A CRITICAL MASS :
There

is

a

need

to develop

quick

Assessment

techniques and utilize microplanning and other techinques

to identify the magnitude of the various facts or dimensions
of the problems in the area of primary education.
(i)

Building consensus on the priority problems

that have been identified so that all agree on
the magnitude and the proximate, underlying

and basic cause of these problems.
(ii)

Building up a 'critical mass' of committed
officials and teachers within the department

for

implementation

of

the

This

project.

becomes an essential requirement to ensure
that the educational innovation is properly

implemented and continued over time.
(iii)

An immediate priority for the project is to
design, develop and establish a system of
assessment of levels of achievement based
on the accepted Minimum Levels of Learning.

The testing and measurement is being done
in a phased manner in the project areas.

(iv)

Formation

and

communication

building

up

implementation

plan

for

a supportive

of

a

advocating

and

environment

for

primary education at the village, block, district

and

state

levels.

[7]

Involvement of

political,

religious, tribal and other leaders as allies

supporting
primary

and

advocating

education.

The

the

cause

Panchayati

of

Raj

System has been established in the state by

elected representatives at the village, Block,
Sub-district and District levels. This is a major

intervention in the project in order to mobilise
community

support

for

in

schools

their

respective areas.

11 STRATEGY :

(I) Access to primary Education :
A Comprehensive Approach :
The TEP is being used as an effective device of

environment and capacity building

in order to

mobilise

human and material resource available in the community as

well as in the system. The TEP has made a positive
intervention in strengthening the existing school system by
creating favourable attitude of the community, teachers,

parents and administrators towards access to education for
all children irrespective of caste, creed and beliefs.TEP is

also

a

significant

strategy

of

linkages

between

Aanganwadis and primary schools, between

ICDS

Non-formal

education system and the Formal system, between mass
communication

media

and

mass

education.

The

TEP

strategy has also emerged as a powerful approach to

providing facilities of primary education especially to girls

and children living in difficult areas. While access has been
improved, the drop-out rate is considerably lowered and
retention

rate

has

been

encouragingly

improved.

The

achievement level of the learners in TEP areas is very
encouraging and schools are becoming centres of friendly

[8]

learning, co-learning and participartory learning with sharing
of experiences, resources and activities. Thus TEP is a very

strong

intervention

of

not

only

access

but

of

Gross-

Enrolment Rate (GER), Gross Retention Rate (GRR) and
Gross Achievement Rate (GAMR).

(ii)

Making the System Work :
The second essential strategy of TEP is to make the

existing system work more effectively, using the existing
cadre

of

teachers

and

administrators,

buildings

and

administrative infrastructure, rather than create a new or
parallel system.

Allied to this is the planned strengthening of the

teaching support networks and administrative infrastructure,
through building up of a "critical mass" of teachers within

each cluster and block, so that there is commonality of

purpose and interaction as professional colleagues, rather
than hierarchies defined by status.

Motivation of teachers to make a commitment to

children and to excellence in their teaching, and to take
pride in their own work and the achievements of their pupils

and their colleagues are at the core of the TEP strategy.

(iii)

Improvement of the Quality of Education
The third major strategy of the TEP is improving the

Quality of Primary Education. National policy on Education

1986

has

laid

great

stress

on

learners'

achievement.

Education for All does not mean merely involvement and
regular attendance of the learners in schools. The basic
objective of joining educational institutions/ centres is to

learn. Unless learning of the quality and nature nationally

accepted,

takes place

mere

[9]

attendance in

educational

institutions/ centres has no meaning. The project will pay
particular attention on improving the quality of education.
While the measures suggested in the other sections are

designed

to

take

education

to

everybody

bring

to

or

everybody to education, the emphasis is on ensuring quality
education for all children in the existing schools.

For improving quality of education the following

programme and measures have emerged from the above
strategy.

12.

PROGRAMMES
(i)

Building : An attempt is being

made to

ensure that there are at least two classrooms
in each school.

(ii)

Classroom improvement : Attempts

are

made to ensure that all the necessary repairs

are

completed

through

the

funds

made

available from the regular programmes.
(Hi)

Material

&

equipment

:

Teachers

are

encouraged to utilize the equipment provided

to them under various projects. In addition,
teachers are supported and encouraged to
prepare their own low cost materials.

(iv)

Availability of Textbooks : Efforts are made

to streamline the distribution and availability
of textbooks in schools within a month of the

reopening of schools.

MAKING CLASSROOMS ATTRACTIVE :
An important aspect of the project is to make the
existing classrooms colourful and attractive. The teachers

[10]

alongwith the students make their classrooms colourful and
attractive by painting stories from the textbooks on the
walls, preparation and display of a large number of relevant

and useful charts, painting a blackboard on the four walls of
the classroom from ground level to a height of 3 feet,
preparation of a "cloth board" and a "pocket board" and so

on. The school and district authorities have decided to paint

the classrooms in a distinctive pink colour to give the school

a proper identity. Further, as each school is becoming a
"Child Friendly School", on the outside of the school, the

words : "Bal Mitra Shala" is written alongwith the name of
the project.

13.

CONTENT OF EDUCATION
(i)

Learning Milestones : Within the framework
of

the

prescribed

Levels

Minimum

of

Learning and the given textbook, to work out
a monthwise detailed curriculum adapting the

content to suit local needs.
(ii)

To support the teacher and to provide a sort

of guide to the teacher in enabling him/ her to

transact the

curriculum

in

classroom,

the

Teacher's Handbook are being developed for
each class based on the Learning Milestones
developed. A suggestive list of activities and
teaching aids and their use in the classroom

is also provided.
(ill)

A small amount of Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per
class per year is provided to schools directly.
The

teacher

headmistress

and

his/

directly

her

headmaster/

purchase

the

raw

materials that are required for the preparation

[11]

of various teaching aids. A suggestive list of
raw materials for preparation of teaching aids

is also provided. This amount also includes
funds for preparation of colourful walls and

blackboards for children.
(iv)

In addition, a large number of teaching aids

are

prepared.

outlines

To

support

pictures,

of

the

words/

teachers,

alphabet

are

printed and distributed in schools.
(v)

Worksheets

:

worksheets

for

a

range

of

which

cover

the

Developing

students

entire syllabus in the subjects of mathematics
and Hindi.

(vi)

Improving

of

quality

present

Hindi

and

need

be

revised

to

textbooks

mathematics
and

:

The

textbooks

based

on

new

methods of language teaching and learning

and realistic assumptions of basic arithmetic
Skills.
(vii)

Textbooks

for

education

non-formal

and

alternative centres need to be developed.

(viii)

reading

Supplementary

materials

and

teaching learning materials also need to be

developed

in

order

to

reinforce

further

learning.

14.

PROCESS OF TEACHING-LEARNING
(i)

Child centred learning : Given the vast

number of single teacher and two- teacher
schools

in

the

state,

multigrade

teaching

learning continues to be the main form of the



teaching- learning process. Towards this end.

[12]

suitable

materials

teachers

are

are

developed

and

support

this

to

equipped

process.

(ii)

Use of local environment : All the materials,
student activities inside and outside the class

are drawn upon the local environment.

(Hi)

Moving away from rote learning : The

project

lays

important

an

value

on

the

participative process for involving students in

their

own

learning

questioning,

through

inquiry, search in an atmosphere where the
student and teacher become equal partners.'

(iv)

Monitoring

classroom

curriculum

transaction

process
:

and

Innovative

methods for assessing the teaching learning

process in the classroom are evolved and
systematized. Observations, recordings and

work

done

the

by

conducted and

students,

activities

issues raised and queries

generated are some of the key indicators of
what is happening in the classroom.

15.

LEARNERS EVALUATION
Continuous

comprehensive

evaluation

:

The

learning Milestones that are developed are so organised

that they provide the key indicators in an operationalized
form to provide easy and reliable information about the

progress of each child at critical learning junctures.
16.

TRAINING APPROACH : ONE DAY WONDERS
(!)

Consistant

with

[13]

the

assumptions

above,

training

is

done

teams

by

of

practicing

teachers. It is completed in intensive blocks
depending largely on the numbers involved.

The

(il)

sequence

training

orientation

evolved

by

the

initial

has

been

at

activities

of

sessions

over

refinement

careful

a

relatively short period of time but with an

enormous cumulative experience.
(Hi)

using

Initially

programme

spaced

has

days,

the

quickly

and

training

evolved

so

expanded so rapidly in response to demands
for training,

that it has been

condensed,

so as to

use

refined

and

a concentrated

block of only one extended day; repeated

according to the numbers involved, so as to
enable

sufficient

time

for

activities

which

require teachers to make classroom teaching

aids and to work in groups of manageable
size to facilitate interaction.

During the initial training, emphasis is placed on the

following components :

*

Immediate

participation

of

encourage

activities which

all

teachers

interaction

through

and

break

down inhibitions;
*

Sitting

on the floor to

reinforce

equality among

participants;
*

Constant interaction with pictures, actions, dance

and

song

to

provide

a

multi-sensory

input

to

demonstrate the teaching of each component of

Class I Programme.

[14]

Visibility of the training and the changed school
so

appearance

that

the

local

community

can

appreciate the transformation and the enthusiasm of

the group;

use

Extensive

of

songs,

riddles,

dancing,

play

activities involving all participants, going through all

the Class I themes, such as numbers, letters, family,
spatial concepts (eg. the circle), colours, parts of the

body, country, fruit and other things to eat, names of

children,

transport,

etc.

based

on

demonstration

for

directions

Minimum Levels of Learning.
Step-by-step

guidance

and

transforming the classroom of every teacher. Great
importance is attached to the preparation of the

environment

of

the

(blackboard

classroom

wall

painted surface from floor to 3' height around the

room; bright painted pictures and colours above the

blackboard

ceilings;

creating

strategic

blackboard,

pocket

light,

attractive

placement

of

cloth

wall

board,

walls

and

teacher's

panels

for

attaching cotton- wool backed cut- outs of numbers,
words,

letters,

transformation

objects,

animals

immediately

etc.).

This

a

new

creates

environment in which children can learn;
"Testimonials" of experiences by members of the

training teams to give their honest impressions of
what

had

colleagues,

happened,
parents,

and

in

of

children's

community's

responses

terms

when they adopted the approach;
Pledged commitment by all present to make it all

happen, as captured in some of the songs;

Participant's comments and commitments;

[15]

Follow-up

expectations,

resources

contacts,

and

plans.

These programmes are repeated after a few months

with varying content depending on the progress of the
project activities.

17.

OTHER SUPPORT TO TEACHERS :
(i)

Monthly in-service meeting for all concerned
teachers in a school cluster area (Resource

Centre) to focus on the learning outcomes to
be achieved during that month and prepare

the necessary teaching

and

aids

develop

activities for more effective and enjoyable

teaching- learning in the classroom.

(ii)

Frequent

interaction

are

opportunities

provided to exchange views and experiences

which have to be result-oriented.

(Hi)

Educational

tours

and

visits

and

within

outside the state/ country are organised to

see

and

programmes
have

a

the

experience

primary

of

direct

bearing

innovative

education
on

which

improving

the

implementation of the project.

(iv)

Participation
workshops,

in

district

exhibitions

and
and

state

level

seminars

are

other activities for enhancing the capacity of
the officials and teachers.

(v)

Newsletters at state, district and block
levels : An effort is being made to support

the development and regular publication of
newletters focussing on the project activities

[16]

especially those of teachers and children.

This acts as a forum for teachers which is an
attempt

acquaint them

to

with

the

latest

techniques of teaching and learning, along
with innovative practices.
(vi)

DIETs

strengthened

being

are

and

academic

continual

to

support

provide

to

the

officers and teachers at the block, resource

centre and school level.
(vii)

Academic support groups are being set up in

each

to

block

supplement

inspection system.

Interested

the

existing

and capable

teachers/ head-teachers from the area are

selected and provided necessary training for

this purpose.
(viii)

Teachers

and

officers

are

supported

and

encouraged to undertake innovative projects
aimed at improving the quality of schools and

teaching aids as well as improving the quality
of teaching- learning in the classrooms.

18.

STRENGTHENING THE ADMINISTRATIVE
AND SUPERVISORY SYSTEM
(i)

and

Strengthening

implementing

administrative policies and instituting suitable

changes in procedures to support officers
and teachers in areas such as transfers,
promotions,

leave,

advances

against

provident fund etc. resulting in the speedy

settlement of teacher's grievances.

(II)

Officers are supported to develop a system
for

regular

monitoring

[17]

of

teacher

service

conditions within an agreed time frame. The
District Collectors are involved in monitoring

this aspect of the programme.

(Hi)

and

Strengthening the supervisory system
making

it

more

effective

for

providing

supportive supervision to the teachers rather

than the present inspection system which is

largely a fault finding device.
(iv)

Providing the supervisory staff with new skills
for

guidance

academic

undertaking

for

teachers and equipping them with suitable

skills for effective monitoring of the project
along key indicators.

19.

CONVERGENCE OF PROGRAMMES
(i)

Where problems of vicious circle of poverty
prevents parents from sending their children

regularly to school, attempts are made to
provide revolving funds for self-help groups

to

develop

processes

support

and

coordination

in

cooperative
with

other

programmes.

(ii)

The non-educational and other educational

programmes of the
coordinated

to

tribal

support

department
the

are

educational

processes in these blocks and villages and

families.

(Hi)

Supportive to formal primary education and

linkages

vice-versa,

close

established

with

the

ICDS

programmes.

In

both

these

are
and

being

TLC

programmes

efforts are made to develop similar strategies

[18]

which

in

turn

would

support

primary

education. All these activities are done in

collaboration with the Department of Women
and Children welfare and the Rajiv Gandhi

Shiksha Mission of the state.

RESPONSIBILITIES

20.

The project has developed a three-tier system of
sharing responsibilities:

TEP, Madhya pradesh

School Education

Tribal Welfare

UNICEF as a

Department

Department

support unit

21.

In Madhya Pradesh School Education System is

decentralised

and

operated

through

two

major

State

Government Departments. Out of 459 Development Blocks,

174 Blocks are under the sub-plan area with the tribal
Welfare Department and the entire school education system

of this area is managed by the Tribal Welfare Department.
Both

the

Departments

coordination

and

work

mutual

Providing

administrative

developing

Plans

of

in

functional

consonance

for

cooperation,
the

project.

and

academic

supports,

Action,

establishig

linkages,

constructing school buildings and and maintaining them,

producing-learning

materials,

supervising

teaching

learning activities and supporting the project activities are

the major functions of both the Departments in consultation

with the UNICEF. The UNICEF provides financial support

and other Resource inputs to both the departments. The
UNICEF Assistance is result and achievement oriented with
a decentralised approach. With all these three responsible

[19]

units of the project, there is an inbuilt dissemination system

which

invites

and

attracts

the

NGOs,

Panchayati

Raj

Institutions and the local community to participate in the

project with the skills and resources at their command.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

22.

The project has also developed a three-tier system
of management. :

TEP Management

I

I

I

State level

District Level

Block level

The state level Management is basically responsible

23.

the

for

convergence

of

programmes

and

activities

conducted by various departments under TEP. The School
Education Department, Tribal Welfare Department and the

UNICEF work in mutual collaboration and consensus. They
draw state level plans of action and develop implementation

and operationalisation strategy in order to provide adequate
guidelines about the scope and aspirations of the project.

The District level and Block level systems are also made to
work

in

collaboration

in

order

to

provide

facilities,

opportunities, necessary support, guidance and monitoring

system to the project areas.

24.

PROJECT REVIEW-CUM-COORDINATION

COMMITTEE.
The Review-cum-coordination committee has a fourtier system-(i) State level (ii) District level (iii) Block level

and

(iv)

Village

level.

The

state

level

committee

is

constituted under the chairmanship of School Education

[20]

Secretary,

Secretary

the

Tribal

Welfare

Department,

Commissioner Tribal Development, Commissioner School
Education,

Director

Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha

Mission,

five

District Co-ordinators, representatives of' Social Welfare,

Women and Child Welfare Developments, Panchayat and
Rural Development Departments are its members alongwith

the Representatives of the UNICEF, Government of India
and

the

The

NCERT.

Director

SCERT

is

its

Member

Secretary. This Committee is responsible for constituting a

Task force to formulate policy guidelines and to create a

positive

support,

coordination,

monitoring

and

project

evaluation system at the field level. The District, Block and

Village level committees are responsible for creating an
effective support system for the operationalisation of the

at

Project

various

coordination

of

the

levels with

various

mutual

consultation

and

Departments

Development

working at all these three levels. The village level committee
named as VEC (Village Education Committee) receives

focus

special

because

it

Panchayat

functionaries,

community

workers

for

is

responsible

parents,
the

total

for

motivating

teachers,

children,

coverage

of

Primary

Education in the rural areas with special attention to girls,

SC/ST and other backward children.

25.

IMPACT OF THE PROJECT IN THE STATE :
The impact of Project is witnessed on almost all

sections

formal

or

informal

relating

to

the

UPE.

The

Samakhya approach has been able to revive and reinforce

the faith of teachers in their profession. For the first time the

teacher community of the state has been approached with
the positive intent to harness the talents of teachers. The

TEP is therefore known as the project of the teachers, for
the

teachers,

and

by

the

teachers.

From

the

top

administrative level to the field level primary school, the
project has created a culture of co-sharing, co-working and

co-learning with better inter-departmental co-ordination and
convergence of educational programmes and activities. The
project

is

also

known

as

a

process

of

educational

transformation and through it social transformation because
it brings about.—

(i)

Trust in teachers

(ii)

Partnership and pledge of the Panchayati Raj

Institutions.
(iii)

Cooperation and commitment of Collectors

and community
(iv)

Creative contribution of talented teachers and
other workers of the community.

(v)

Confidence of kids in learning activities.

(vi)

Administrative assistance to teachers.

(vii)

Political support from all parties and NGOS.

(Viii)

Better

coordination

and

collaboration

amongst various development departments.

(ix)

More social and political acceptance as an
effective model of the UPE, with better cost­

effectiveness, and
(x)

Change in the existing concept of 'school' by

making it more child friendly, activity centred

•and

place

of

attraction

for

the

children,

teachers and the community.

26.
of

The TEP has a tremendous impact as the systems

education

in

other

states

[22]

of

the

country.

Gujrat,

Rajasthan,

UP,

West

Bengal,

Maharashtra,

Tamilnadu,

Assam states have sent their study teams to the project

areas and they are highly impressed and motivated after
observing the Samakhya activities with their own active

participation. The Samakhya Team of the state was also
invited

to

Rajasthan

to

demonstrate its training

model

known as ’one day wonders' in one of the districts of that

state. In order to further enrich the model, a team of five
Samakhya teachers was sent to Australia to study the

multigrade system of teaching especially in New South
Wales State.

The team visited about a dozen schools, both in
rural and urban areas, interacted with university Department
of Teacher Training and Director of schools. The Australian

Schools, their teachers and teaching aids have validated

the concept of Shikshak Samakhya especially in the context
of the multigrade teaching with single or two teachers in

primary schools. To sum up, it can be said that TEP has

now assumed a shape of not only a Movement but of an
Educational Revolution through teachers.

27.

The other note-worthy feature of the project is a very

happy and encouraging co-operation and coordination of
Four J's. -Jude Henriques, the State level Unicef Project

Officer is a moving soul behind the entire motivational
activity

of

the

project.

John

Rhode,

the

National

Representative of the UNICEF has been very enthusiastic

to support the project and the state UNICEF officers. Jim
Arvin the Asian Regional Director has been very supportive,

and the International Unicef Executive Director late James
Grant saw the project as the fulfilment of Gandhian dream

in Gandhi's country.

[23]

28.

OPINIONS
"Shikshak Samakhya has to be spread to
other parts of the country.

—Shri Girl,

Secretery, Govt, of India, Dept, of Education.

Although an appraisal of TEP is pre-mature,

Shikshak Samakhya is emerging as a very

cost-effective, efficient, culturally consonant

and sustainable approach to UPE in India.
—Jim Arvin,

Director, Asia Region.

Today we are gathered to see progress in
freeing

people

from

another

form

of

coloniality. You are liberating children, so that
they can acquire knowledge and use the new
citizenship

that

possible

for

Mahatma
them.

Gandhi

What

you

made

are

demonstrating here with your new techniques

and new teaching aids, you can accomplish

what may people have said ’It is impossible' I

congratulate you and I wish you to provide an
example for other districts in India and for

other countries in the World.

—Late Dr. James Grant,
Executive Director
International office of the UNICEF, New York.

[24]

The Government of M.P. made all the 1649
Primary

school

of

Friendly'

with

the

District

Dhar

’Child

Shikshak

Samakhya

Project in a period of less than

3 months.

This implied motivating the teachers on a
large

making

and

scale

transformation

of

complete

classrooms,

the

an

impossible task successfully accomplished.
—John Rohde ,
UNICEF, India.

29.

COMMITMENT TO TEP AT VARIOUS LEVELS :
Chief

Minister Sfiri

Digvijay

Singh

: The

Chief

Minister of the state has reiterated his faith in Shikshak
Samakhya, and appreciated it as a programme of teacher's

power for better primary education in the state.
conference

of

Chief

Ministers

held

in

June

In the

1994,

he

emphasised the need of expanding the programme in the
entire state.

30.

SCHOOL EDUCATION MINISTER :
Shri Mahendra Singh
The Minister, after seeing the thrill and enthusiasm

among the teachers, feels that the Samakhya activities are
the proof of teacher's strength and talent and it should
cover the entire state for improving the quality of education
and to make learning joyful.

31.

STATE MINISTER FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION :
Shrl Indrajeet Kumar
Shikshak Samakhya is a project of reviving and

[25]

restoring teacher's dignity and respect in the Community.

32.

COLLECTORS OF THE DISTRICTS :
The Collectors have started inviting the Shikshak

Samakhya teams to their districts with the commitments to
providing better facilities for good quality education. They

are supporting the schools and the teachers for making the
schools colourful attractive and joyful.

PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS :

33.

Shikshak Samakhya has also involved the elected

representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions at all the

three

levels. The

Samakhya is also addressed

to

the

Panchas and Sarpanchas for their active support. During

the one day orientation the Panchayat members are so
much impressed by the Samakhya Programmes that they

have adopted this programme as their own

and

have

pledged to provide financial assistance ranging between
Rs. 2000-8000 per annum.

34.

ADMINISTRATORS :
The District and Block level administrators have also

taken a pledge to support the Samakhya programme by
settling teachers, claims and grievances without any delay.
The heads of the

Institutions have given

autonomy to

teachers

innovative

and

for

using

techniques

under the Samakhya programme.

[26]

methods

35.

TEACHERS :
The

covered

teacher

under

absenteeism

in

almost

Samakhya

Shikshak

is

districts

all

considerably

controlled. More teachers are now regular, functional and

active in teaching learning activities through Samakhya
programmes.

36.

CHILDREN :
The Children enjoy the teaching-learning process

very much. They are achieving the minimum

levels of

learning earlier than the stipulated period for each level.
The black board strip on the walls and wall paintings of

stories are the most powerful participatory interactions of

learning activities. The children are regular in attendance,
they love to remain in schools and enjoy learning.

37.

project

The district covered under the Shikshak Samakhya
by

December

1994

are

Dhar,

Jhabua,

Panna,

Jabalpur, Tikamgarh, Betul, Khargaon, Raigarh, Rajgarh,
Guna,

Ratlam,

Satna,

Rewa,

Mandsaur,

Raisen,

Sidhi,

Shahdol,

Sehore,

Chhatarpur,

Sarguja,

Bilaspur

Rajnandgaon and Bastar.

Besides the

basic

five

districts of the TEP,

19

Districts of DPEP are also included in it and now all the 45
districts have to be covered under it with the support of the
Panchayati Raj system in the state.

[27]

LIST OF MATERIALS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Card Sheets
Scissors
Gum/Fevicol

Cotton
Card-Board (thin)

Khadi cloth (2 Pieces of 2 Metre each)

Plastic scale
Carbon Paper

Coloured Tissue paper

Marble paper
Cellotape (Small)
Sketch pen
Poster Colour (Small bottles)

Brush

Twine thread (Small bundle)
Chalk (White)
Chalk (Coloured)

Needle

[28]

Coloured Pencils (Crayons)
Blades

Seeds
Marbles

Wires
Fused electric bulbs
Broken pieces of glass and

China pots
Flannel
Plastic Cards

Maize stalks

Bamboo sticks

Dry leaves and flowers

Fallen feathers
country-clay

Wax.,

[29]

[30]

We all are for Samakhya—Panch and Sarpanch

Panchayati Fiaj Representatives with Samakhya pledge papers
in their hands

Women at learning in Samakhya Programmes

RAJKAMAL, BHOPAL

Media
4877.pdf

Position: 6104 (1 views)