Avehi Abacus Project: Sangati and Saath-Saath programmes

Through this proposal, we are attempting to focus specifically on residential schools for Adivasi children where issues of gender, sexuality, discrimination and larger problems regarding their place in the outside world remain unaddressed. Teachers and children both need support and immersive experience to address these issues on their own terms. Besides, specifically in these areas, parents are often unable to understand the significance of education and attendance and retention remain a big problem, there is a high prevalence of early marriage, and meaningful viable job opportunities are either unavailable or of physical low-skill nature.

There is a high incidence of seasonal migration for exploitative contractual work like construction, sugar-cane harvesting, brick-kiln industry. Another problem is the content of the existing curriculum it is the same one that is designed mainly for urban and in the most rural contexts. It has very little relevance to the lives of the Adivasis who are themselves highly diverse culturally. Tribal languages and way of life are seldom recognized and integrated into mainstream curriculum, thus the medium and content of education remain alien to children. To change the situation only short-term provisions will not be enough. An alternative conception of ‘Education and Society’ and strategies for planning and trying-out other options on their own terms requires a change in thinking.

Ashram shalas, by their very definition, are residential. The boys and girls come from far-flung Adivasi hamlets – they often remain insulated from the outside world. Thus, students’ socializing process is very different than that of children staying with families. Peer group pressure is significant. The need of the hour is contextual education to address specific issues faced by the adolescents; that which is culturally acceptable to the community and comfortable for the teachers to use. The system of formal schooling by itself does not provide a clear framework to unravel gender and often endorses patriarchal thinking, loaded heavily against girls. Tribal girls are the most vulnerable and marginalized. Adolescent/puberty related scientific inputs, gender discrimination in society, in general, remain unaddressed in their lives.

Avehi Abacus Projects curriculum modules and implementation strategies address these uncomfortable issues keeping in mind cultural sensitivities, empathy, and understanding - these include everyday gender discrimination, menstrual taboos, child-marriage, sexual exploitation, dowry-harassment, a lack of understanding of civil and economic rights of diverse communities. Adolescence is an important phase and its myriad dimensions; physical and emotional health and most importantly gender equality and empowerment need to be dealt in a connected way.

Finally; it is also essential to consider the vital role played by the teachers and supervisory officers. Working with them not as an instrument to implement our program but to understand their constraints and restore their self-worth is essential. Our work aims to provide them the epistemological and pedagogic framework for humane and creative education to fulfill their educational goals and thereby boost self-worth.

We believe that the teaching-learning of Social Science content has deeper and crucial implications going beyond the academic life of children and teachers. Firm beliefs in core-values of democracy and human rights, scientific thinking, analysis, connectedness with the diverse realities of learners are at the helm of quality teaching of Social Sciences. Core-concepts and skill-sets in Social Sciences can address and effectively remedy the biases in ‘hidden curriculum’ making children motivated, confident, eager and happy to remain in school and learn to their fullest capacities. 

The innovative strength of Avehi Abacus Project’s work lies in its synthetic approach. While the project is implemented in government schools the curriculum demands responsiveness to contexts of learners. The curriculum modules do not stop at building cognitive and process skills limited only on State curriculum but create innate abilities of critical thinking and sensitive decision-making. The content and pedagogy of these modules provide a basis for life-choices taking into account a variety of stimuli (including textbooks, everyday life, mass-media). Thereby while the implementation adheres to the institutional approach the content-pedagogy makes the experience highly dynamic and energizes the learners and teachers.

We thus propose scaling-up to new geographies in Maharashtra to reach more Ashram schools with a blended curriculum combining Sangati and Saath Saath. With this phase, we hope to influence the quality of education in Ashram Shalas so that these children are equipped with values, knowledge, and skill-sets that will help them achieve their own potential and re-envision social progress. We thereby hope to work for our core values of justice, equity, and sustainable future as well as seek to influence educational policies that will positively improve the conditions of girls/young women to raise their consciousness to resist and prevent injustice whether in domains of gender equity or with regard to larger socio-political dynamics.  

1. YEAR 1 – In year 1 we will work with all the 36 schools in Akola block, Ahemadnagar district with Std. VI. In the first year, a blended curriculum combining and complementing Sangati and Saath Saath will be implemented in the schools. The focus will be on our social self, the various aspects of gender influencing both girls and boys as they grow up, the issues and problems we confront in our society, the means to overcome threats and challenges, and to learn and seek inspiration from struggles of ordinary people to make our society a better place for all of us to live together. A session focusing on the situation of Adivasis and specific issues of the communities is part of Manthan (teacher capacity-building curriculum.) This will be adapted for age-appropriateness and added to Sangati Kit 4. Based on field-learning (developed through process documentation, narrative feedback from children and teachers as well as analysis of from base-line and end-line data we will adopt strategies and mechanisms for more effective implementation.
2. YEAR 2 - In year 2 we will work with the children who progress to VII and with the new batch of Std. VI classes in the 36 schools will focus on issues that concern us all as citizens of this Earth and indeed the universe. It attempts to open questions regarding what we consider progress and whether there are alternatives that are socially and environmentally justiciable and sustainable. (http://www.avehiabacus.org/sangati.html)
3. Translation of Saath Saath in Marathi. (Saath Saath is currently available in Hindi and English.) Translation will address accounting for spaces for contextualization such as the use of language and idioms, names of persons, tweaking/adding stories, examples, etc.)
4. Preparation of a glossary and suggestions for contextualization of Sangati kit 4 (The Way We Live) and Kit 5 (Understanding Change).
5. Process of Implementation: After obtaining an MoU, an orientation program will be conducted for academic officers and materials will be handed over to the schools. The AAP team will assist regular teachers with Manuals, visual aids, capacity building workshops, field-support, and follow-up/assessment. (Our experience shows that) While the workshops will help teachers in capacity building, regular conducting of these sessions will further sharpen teachers’ capacities and student understanding and abilities to deal with issues related to sexual health and discrimination including those in everyday life and textbooks.
6. Monitoring and Evaluation: Prior to the implementation a base-line data about critical outcomes will be mapped. The organization’s representatives will regularly visit schools for observation, recording feedback, overseeing student’s worksheets, supporting teachers and developing case-stories. Evaluation of the impact and efficacy of the program will be done by reputed independent experts; the results of the study will be shared with State Curriculum bodies to advocate for the integration of these elements.

1. Overall Expected Outcomes:

• 60% of students demonstrate improvement in reading, writing and comprehension skills compared to baseline status.
• 70% of students demonstrate increased participation in class.
• 60% demonstrate enhanced performance in Social Science and language learning.
• 60% of students demonstrate increased willingness to work together, resolving conflicts, effective communication, develop the analytical ability, problem-solving and decision making skills as compared to baseline status.
• 60% of teachers conducting Sangati demonstrate increased effectiveness in teaching and a deeper understanding of Social Science content and improved pedagogy compared to baseline status.

2. Indicators in relation to Saath Saath (gender component): Participants showing the transition to awareness about gender – from dominant notions to empowered ones, for example about the division of labor and value of labor.

• 70% of Participants showing the transition to awareness about gender – from dominant notions to empowered ones, for example about the division of labor and value of labor.
• 80% Participants understanding the scientific knowledge about the menstrual cycle to the majority of the participants and taking care of one’s health
• The majority (80%) of the participants understanding that menstruation is natural, and therefore considering it as a taboo or regarding the female body impure or radiating during menstruation is incorrect.
• Looking at sexual harassment as a problem that can victimize anyone, not necessarily girls or women. Being supportive to the victims and helping them to seek redress collectively on their own or by seeking help from parents, teachers or even police. ( 70% Participants; both boys and girls)
• Acknowledging that giving inadequate food to girls constitutes an important form of gender discrimination and both boys and girls attempting to intervene in such situations at home or in the school hostel. ( 70%Participants; both boys and girls)
• 75% of Participating boys accepting their role in domestic responsibilities.
• 75% Participants; both boys and girls openly interacting with each other as co-students with multi-dimensional personalities and studying, playing together rather than focusing on each other’s sex and gender aspects. 
• 70% of Participating students intervening actively to prevent early marriage and instances of dowry or domestic violence by seeking help from responsive adults.