Basic Facts

• In spite of innovative schemes like operation blackboard, adult literacy programs and universalisation of elementary education, there are still 50 million children who are out of school in India
  
  
• Programs from DPEP, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and EGS schemes improved accessibility to the schools and provision of teachers etc
  
  
• Decentralization opened doors to the disadvantaged communities and women to participate in decision making process, planning and monitoring of education in schools
  
  
• Most of the dropout and never enrolled children belong to disadvantaged communities only
  
  
• Corporal punishment and discrimination on caste are still prevalent in most of the schools in remote areas
  
  
• In spite of regular trainings, teachers are not using child friendly methods in the schools
  

Beliefs and Principles

• Quality of education in government run schools can be improved through community participation
  
  
• All the like minded NGOs, academicians, administration and political bodies should work together to achieve quality education
  
  
• Capacity building of the community should be done for effective participation in decision making process in the school
  
  
• Systemic approach must be adopted in planning and implementation of strategies in quality improvement programs of education
  

Experience

AeA has been working in the field of education since 25 years. Some of the major issues AeA addressed are

• Improved the enrolment rate by providing support for accessibility and educational materials to children from marginalized communities in remote areas
  
  
• Supported trainings to teachers in government and supplementary schools
  
  
• Supported the schools with additional teachers to meet the immediate need for quality education
  
  
• Provided nutrition to the pre primary and primary school children
  

Scope

• Untapped funds can be mobilized from Sarva Sisha Abhiyan for programs like RBC for child labour and adolescent girls, teachers training and community mobilisation for village education planning
  
  
• Need to target children in age group below 6 years especially first generation learners for their integrated development and education
  
  
• More emphasis is given to girls, dalit and tribal education and of community strengthening to monitor the schools by the government
  
  
• Need to do village education planning at grassroots level which will help the administration at district levels to allocate the funds to appropriate and needy areas

Strategy

• All the activities will be promoted only through community participation with institutions like Self Help Groups, Village Education Development Committees, Farmer Groups, Panchayat Raj Institutions and Village Youth Groups
  
  
• Planning of educational activities will be done with all stakeholders including administration, Panchayat Raj Institutions, community, teachers and other educational institutions
  
  
• Establish convergence with other sector programs like inclusive education, livelihood education, women’s education and other government programs for effective implementation of the project
  
  
• Cross learning strategies will be promoted amongst NGO partners working in the same region
  

Research and Advocacy 

• Identify the issues for advocacy in the project area
  
  
• Identify the partners for networking on the issues identified for advocacy
  
  
• Create platforms at project, district, state level by the NGO partners and AeA to take up the issue for advocacy
  
  
• Identify the sources to mobilize resources for policy advocacy
  

Issues of advocacy are

• Early childhood and development
  
  
• Village education planning for school improvement at grassroots level involving community
  
  
• Inclusion of disadvantaged children suffering form critical diseases and disabilities including children from dalit communities
  

Gender Equality

• Special focus on girls education mainly adolescent girls and mainstreaming them into regular schools
  
  
• Capacity building of women Self Help Groups to participate actively in school education process and other decision making
  
  
• Promote Self Help Group federations to take part in village education planning
  
  
• Promote women members in Village Education Development Committees
  
  
• Promote Women Self Help Groups to become village volunteers in all projects

Livelihood

• Identify the active unemployed youth from villages and link with the livelihood education program
  
  
• Develop a plan for organizing events in high schools and colleges as a part of road shows about vocational skill training program
  

Emergencies

• Develop modules for disaster preparedness that is to be included as a part of regular curriculum
  
  
• Organize special events with the children to establish a volunteers network to work during disaster
  
  
• Support the schools for improving school infrastructure
  
  
• Provide additional nutrition to the school going children
  
  
• Support children through teaching learning materials
  
  
• Play materials to the pre primary centers and children clubs