Promotion of Basic Education of the Girl Children of the Deprived Communities in Bihar

Project Name: Promotion of Basic Education of the Girl Children of the Deprived Communities in Bihar

Donor:  Italian Bishops’ Conference

Project period: April 2020 to August 2023.

Goal of the project: Promotion of Gender Equality by Accessing Quality Education

Objectives:

  • Enrolment and retention of 1200 out of school and dropout girls in the age group of 06-18 years of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, and most economically backward class Communities
  • Sensitization of the marginalised communities in 120 villages on Right to Education for better enrolment and retention of girls in the mainstream schools

Program Location:

Marginalized girls from 120 villages/tolas in the districts of Rohtas, Bhojpur, East Champaran and West Champaran.

Introduction:

The project aims to address the educational challenges faced by girls in marginalized communities, where existing government schemes have not been fully utilized. Low literacy rates, early marriages, and child labor persist, particularly among SC, ST, and economically backward classes. MASHAL seeks to empower these communities and girls by improving their education, social situation, and leadership skills. Activities include conducting a door-to-door survey to identify out-of-school children, assisting parents in re-enrolling dropouts, and raising awareness about girls’ education and government schemes and running Bridge Course Centres to teach basic literacy and numeracy to the girls aged 06-18. The goal is to enhance literacy rates, reduce dropouts, and empower girls to advocate for their rights and fight against injustice.

Program Overview:

This program focuses on empowering marginalized communities and improving girls’ education. It includes a door-to-door survey to identify out-of-school children and those at risk of dropping out. Efforts are made to re-enroll these children in schools and raise awareness about girls’ education and government schemes. Community mobilization and engagement play a crucial role in creating a supportive environment. Village meetings sensitize community members about the Right to Education Act and address barriers faced by girls. The program aims to build leadership skills in girls, enabling them to advocate for their rights and fight against injustice, ultimately leading to social transformation. Bridge school Centres are designed to make the girls who are Out of school and school drop out attain age-appropriate learning to be mainstreamed into schools.

Activities and Outcomes

The details of the implementation and outcome of the budgeted activities are given below:

  1. Weekly Literacy Classes for Adolescent Girls:
  • Though the target was 1200 girls we have reached out to,1628 girls from marginalized communities in 120 villages who continue to actively participate in these literacy classes. The impact of these classes extends beyond mere attendance, contributing significantly to enhancing literacy rates and empowering girls in communities on the peripheries.
  • Out of 1628 girls, 1576 girls are enrolled in school.  52 girls who are not enrolled in school have recently joined the literacy classes. They will be enrolled in school in the next academic year.
  • The attendance in school has demonstrated significant improvement, underscoring the positive impact of our intervention. Through targeted efforts and dedicated support, we have not only increased enrollment but also fostered a more conducive learning environment, encouraging consistent attendance to 70 %  among the girls. It used to be below 30%.
  • Early Marriage Prevention:

While addressing the persistent challenge of early marriage, we are pleased to report progress. Approximately 20% of the girls under our care have successfully been shielded from early marriage, showcasing the effectiveness of our interventions in safeguarding their futures.

  1. Celebration of Girl Child Day and Education Day
  • Girl Child Day and Education Day celebrated across 94 villages, involving a total of 3,019 participants, including girls and women. This celebration was a powerful tool to raise awareness and advocate for girls’ rights to education.

 

  1. Interface meeting
  • Interface meeting for strengthening SMC is a crucial component of the project. Principals, teachers, other officials from education department, and local representatives were brought together on one platform with parents. Mostly, the interface meetings were organized in schools as the concerns were also related to the education of the wards of these parents. The primary objective was to discuss the retention of students, mainstreaming of children who are still out of schools, regular attendance of children, scholarships, and regularity of teachers in schools and in some places to raise voice against caste discrimination.
  • In all the Units the meetings was held at the Block Level with the education officers, Government school teachers, some of the elected members of the Local self-government including the ward members, Members the of School Management Committee (SMC)  members and parents of the children and selected girls from the centers.
  1.  3 Days Life Skills Training (Residential)x 1200 girls

Key Activities

  • Life Skills Training: This year the life skill training focused on Financial Literacy training. Against the target of 1200 girls, 1618 girls across 4 districts participated in the life skills training that was imparted for duration of 3 days each.
  • The training was based on the Facilitator Manuel prepared by UNICEF which includes saving, loan, banking, digital payment, insurance, and how to prepare budget for daily living etc.

Impact

  • A major shift was seen in the knowledge level of the girls. The girls are now familiar with the process of opening a bank account, depositing and withdrawing money, savings benefits, and insurance’s importance. They came to know about services offered by banks.
  • At the level of practice, girls have begun to save money and have overcome the fear of going to the bank to avail services. Some of the girls have even started influencing their family members and others in the neighborhood to begin saving and avail the services offered by banks and the government. In the long term, the financial literacy training provided to the girls is expected to impact not only the lives of these girls but also society as a whole.
  1. 20 Days Residential camp for intensive coaching
  • This summer camp has been conducted during the summer vacation in the respective units. 132 girls have received training, who are weak in basic studies but want to study further. During these 20 days, they were taught Mathematics, Hindi, English, and other relevant subjects using child friendly methods. They were also be taught other extra-curricular activities for the development of their personality, and improvement of their basic knowledge to complete their education.

Impact

  • Improved Language Skills: The intensive coaching program has demonstrated a notable impact on participants’ language skills, fostering improvements in communication, reading, and writing abilities.
  • Enhanced Mathematical Abilities: Participants have experienced significant growth in their mathematical proficiency, showcasing a tangible enhancement in problem-solving and quantitative skills.
  • Awareness of Environmental Issues: The coaching has successfully raised awareness about environmental concerns, cultivating a sense of responsibility and understanding among participants regarding key environmental issues.
  • Understanding of Social Issues: Through the intensive coaching, participants have gained a deeper comprehension of social issues, fostering empathy and a heightened awareness of the challenges within their communities.
  1. BBOSE linkage

Bihar Board of Open School Education (BBOSE) allows dropouts to choose their subjects and write one or two exams at a time, which helped 15 girls from marginalized communities to register for the academic year 2022 with the assistance of Mashal staff. Organizing meetings with the parents, providing coaching classes, and textbooks helped the girls gradually learn the syllabus. The success rate of the previous batch motivated them to continue learning.

Success story:

Sangeeta Kumari, a girl from the village of Lanji in Chenari Block, found hope through Mashal’s program on girl child education. Coming from a large family struggling with poverty, Sangeeta had discontinued her studies after the 5th standard. However, since February 2020, she has been attending weekly classes at the center, which support girls facing irregular schooling or the risk of dropping out.

Sangeeta’s dedication and improved efficiency inspired her parents, who were positively influenced by the Mothers’ Committee meetings and the classes at the Learning Centre. In January 2021, they enrolled her in the 6th standard at Government Middle School in Chenari, allowing her to continue her education.

This progress has motivated Sangeeta’s parents to consider supporting the education of their other daughters as well. Sangeeta’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the positive changes possible when communities come together to uplift young girls.