Mohalla Learning Activity Centres (MohLAC)
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Learning Activity Centre (Shiksha Gatividhi Kendra)
Restrategising field activities in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic
As health and safety measures forecast that schools may remain closed for a good part of the academic session 2020-21, and large congregation of children and group activities are totally unadvisable, we propose to go back to the idea of neighbourhood schooling system and decentralise it further at the level of each locality/ neighbourhood where the child resides. Thus emerges the idea of a Mohalla /Village Learning Activity Centre (or Shiksha Gatividhi Kendra) - a space where we plan to foster the ideas of “learning by doing”, “learning from the environment” and “learning from each other”.
Mohalla/Falia/Pada/Tola/Village Learning Activity Centre (LAC)
This is visualised as a comfortable learning space in the immediate vicinity of a primary/middle school for the child to continue engagement with meaningful and joyful learning experiences scaffolded by an older sibling/ local youth / young parent (called the Mohalla /Village LAC facilitator).
It is being proposed as a strategy to mitigate the engagement gap for school children caused by lockdown and school closure due to Covid-19 pandemic.
- The Mohalla /Village LAC are to be held in some open or well-ventilated space within the neighbourhood of the child, and would invite a maximum of about 30-40 children of the elementary school level – all residing in the same neighbourhood.
- Considering the number of elementary school children, the LAC can have more than one batch, to ensure smaller number per batch to ensure appropriate physical distance and other safety precautions.
- Parents empowerment - For every LAC, we will set up a parents’ committee, through which we will engage with parents on academic issues and help them understand and appreciate their wards’ educational progress.
- Wherever possible, it will be good to have a written request from parents/community that such a centre should be set up in their locality.
- The Mohalla /Village LAC is envisaged to function for 2 hours daily from Monday to Friday every week.
- The Mohalla LAC will have a small mobile library - a set of books for the facilitator to refer to and give reading exposure to children. It will also have a small set of necessary teaching-learning materials (TLMs). Emphasis will also be on developing capacities of the Mohalla LAC Facilitator towards use of everyday materials as learning engagement tools – so that dependence on external TLMs is minimised. The books in the mobile library of villages or different mohalla LACs can be rotated for minimising costs.
- The ideas of “learning by doing”, “learning from the environment” and “learning from each other” will be important driving forces for the mohalla LACs and these will be gradually developed with the Facilitator teams.
- At present, we will take this up in campaign mode for at least 3 months – July, August and September 2020, and then plan the next phase after review of the first phase.
- Formal orders have been issued for school closure till 31st July 2020 in Madhya Pradesh. Informal sources in the education department have shared that primary schools will most likely remain closed for this whole academic session, and middle schools (class 6,7,8) may reopen after August 2020. Hence, keeping in mind the fact that the peak of Covid-19 pandemic is yet to arrive in India, the campaign can be extended till March 2021. All necessary planning and projections are being done accordingly.
Mohalla /Village LAC Faciliator
- One older sibling/ local youth / young parent in every neighbourhood covered.
- This person will work with a maximum of about 40 students in one or two batches in the respective Mohalla /Village.
- Ensure that each batch is not larger than 10-15 to maintain physical distance and other precautions.
- If the numbers are larger, half the students can be called on alternate days – as larger congregation is avoidable in the light of Coivd-19 safety measures.
- The Facilitator will engage with both primary and middle school students.
- LAC teaching will be from Monday to Friday.
- Saturdays will be utilised for continuous capacity building, sharing of the past week and planning for the next week. This will be carried out in a mixed mode – sometimes online and sometimes face to face (if situation allows).
- In all, approx. 2-3 hours of work inputs is expected every day for 6 days a week.
Expectations/ Qualifications
- Resident of the mohalla / village.
- Preferably a graduate, but enthusiastic high school or college students or young mothers can also be considered.
- Strong interest in children’s education and an empathetic outlook towards children will be desirable.
- Desirable that the person has an Adroid/Smart Phone, so that online planning, review and capacity building are possible.
In the classroom
- Most crucial immediate need is to help children get out of their homes and meet their peers and deal with the prolonged stress that they have been under.
- The space will allow children to express themselves, talk, write, draw and express about their experiences during and of the lockdown and other Covid-related situations.
- Fun activities dealing with basic reading-writing and numeracy will be carried out with the primary school children.
- A weekly or fort-nightly mohalla wall newspaper will be a regular feature with the middle school students, in addition to the regular subject based learning activities.
Necessary Precautions/ Safety Measures
- The Mohalla LACs must be held in either open spaces or well-ventilated and largish rooms. Small closed spaces are like hot-houses for the virus and CANNOT BE USED FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN.
- MASKS to be used by all students and facilitator.
- Toward this we are getting masks made from cotton cloth locally by Self Help groups active in the area wherever possible.
- SOAP, CLEAN WATER and clean cotton cloth as towels will be provided to each Mohalla LAC so that everybody washes hands before and after the class.
- At least 4 feet distance to be maintained for sitting arrangement of students.
Arrangement
- Initially, this arrangement will be for three months (July, August, September 2020), extendable upto March 2021 as per the situation.
- Each Mohalla LAC Facilitator will be paid a nominal stipend and minimal required expenses.
- S/he will also be given a Shiksha ka Pitara – a mix of selected books on education that will help in perspective building and actual teaching.
- One youth will be allowed to handle only one such Mohalla LAC (that is working with upto about 20 students, or upto 40 if they come on alternate days).
- If more such clusters in a village, one can have more youth volunteers if available and found suitable.
- Experienced LAC sanchalaks who have been with us for a year will be allowed to handle two such Mohalla / village LACs.
Motivation for Youth to take this up
- Possibility of an association especially for those who have been part of educational initiatives or are interested in village level educational activities.
- Sustainability - This effort of Eklavya will create a cadre in the community, which can continue the education work even after we are removed
- Financial help – Stipend will also serve as supplementary livelihood assistance to local youth in situations arising after Covid-19
- Educational support - A means for the children to continue their education in the circumstances arising after Covid-19
- Strong relations with Community - Being a partner of Eklavya in every school area, strong relationships with the community
- Eklavya will provide a certificate to all those who have worked with us for three months in this campaign.
- Eklavya will also try that the State also recognises such efforts and individuals.
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