Asha Delhi 10% Project

2007-08 Execution Debrief

Asha Delhi: Ritika Arora / Uday Gosain

07-Jun-2008, Updated: 24-Jun-07

Agenda….

Objectives of the program Project details Project execution methodology

– Awareness– Advocacy to the government – Document Collection– Networking– Monitoring– Research and verification

Focus 2007-08

Objectives of the Programme

The project aims at:– Creating awareness amongst the common people

about their rights.– Making the government authorities more accountable

and transparent.– Ensuring good quality of education for every child by

invoking right to education.– Conducting research on how the fund is being utilized

in government run schools.– Motivating the marginalized section of the society to

minimize their dependency and   create sustainable systems

– Forming community based groups.

Project Details

The project kick started on the following grounds:– Government allotted land at subsidized rates to 397 schools– There was a 25% quota (now revised to 10%) set for children from

economically backward section of the society– The objective was to provide free and fair education.

In July 2005 Delhi Govt. published the guidelines to admission of these children in many newspapers.

Therefore the “Parivartan/Pardarshita” group realized that this was the right time and opportunity for the poor to provide free and good quality education to their children in public schools.

The project initially (2005 to 2007) covered 3 districts in Delhi - namely, east, north-east and south. Last year, the scope of the project was enhanced to include the west, south-west districts of Delhi.

Project Execution Methodology

Learning from earlier years, project execution methodology was devised to structure execution:

– Awareness– Research– Verification– Document Collection– Networking– Advocacy to the government– Admission Process– Monitoring

A better way to manage the finances and the project it self was to be put in place

Next few slides provide an update on efforts on the above aspects and the results achieved…..

Awareness

Measures adopted to spread awareness amongst the parents in 2007-08:

– Distributing pamphlets – Organizing camps in collaboration with the Delhi govt at many DC

complexes– Introducing helpline numbers– Posters at various locations

HELPINE numbers – 011-20033988, 9910349898, 9868529459. – Awareness about regulations and assistance in admission was

provided through these helplines. These numbers were published in newspapers like Navbharat Times, Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar

Awareness of the Act’s provision amongst School authorities

The helpline number has been a huge success with over 1,000 calls received from all over Delhi for admission enquiries.

Advocacy to the government

Problems faced by parents during admissions:– Disallowed entry into school– Refusal of application forms– Demand of unnecessary documents for admission– Misguiding parents in terms of the documents required for admission– Non-acceptance of application forms issued earlier

Steps taken to combat the above problems:– Several complaints were filed with the Deputy Director of Education, the Director of Education

and Secretary of education– This was followed up by presenting the data of these complaints in the high court.

Outcomes of our efforts:– More than 500 complaints were filed against 54 schools– Ruling of the court indicated that the officers in charge were not performing their duties as

required– There was mass media coverage and eventually the problems came into notice of the chief

information commissioner– While contempt of notice has not yet been issued, investigation of the admission procedure of

these 54 schools is well under way

Document Collection

Documents required – Income certificate– birth certificate– resident proofs– ration cards

Efforts made at our end:– Assistance provided to parents in collection of documents. – Other misguided parents were provided assistance in gathering

relevant documents required for admission– In cases where any of the document was missing, parents were

helped in getting them made by the guiding them– Example: 100 cases handled in the east district, 80 in north-east

district and over 80 more in the south-west district, for getting income certificate made.

Networking

We organised a meeting in collaboration with Nehru memorial Museum and Library at Teen Murti. Many NGOs were invited for the meeting to discuss on the current policy of the Delhi govt on access of economically weaker families to public schools.

This meeting was also attended by Mr Wajahad Habibullah (Chief Information Commissioner), Mrs. Shanta Sinha (Chairperson, Protection of Child Rights Commission) and Mrs. Mridula Mukherjee (Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library) Mr. Shekhar Singh (former convener of NCPRI).

As a result of this meeting, we got the opportunity to form networks with other NGOs like YMCA, ISST, Prabhatara, Amba Foundation, and Satarak Nagrik Sangathan.

Monitoring

The monitoring process includes:– Preparation of a project coordination workbook, specifying the demographics of admitted

students; year on year.– Currently, the process is being regularized by visiting camps and updation of the

coordination workbook. – Three camps, Rajiv camp, Nehru camp and New Seemapuri, have been visited so far– Process involves interviewing parents on their child’s academic performance and areas and

levels of improvement in the child’s performance since admission– Brief assessment of student’s report cards, wherever available– Inquiring about problems and discrimination, if any, faced by parents with respect to the

school authorities and provide suggestions to tackle any issues faced.

Our overall findings from these visits have been satisfying:– There are no particular complaints lodged– Parents have not witnessed any discrimination by the school authorities– The children are treated with equality and given appropriate attention– Children’s performance has been consistent. Some troubled cases are essentially the

students who are weak / slow learners.

We are also looking at compiling students marks in the workbook and keep adding to it as they go through the school years.

Research & Verification

Efforts are being made to streamline the research and verification process.

For any research or verification, it is necessary to have access to the relevant information.

We have filed an application under the RTI Act and are waiting for approval for the access to data to start the verification process.

Project & Finances Improvement

Project Coordination Workbook (PCB) maintained Financial WorkBook maintained Regular Updates on emails Website kept updated Voucher’s Guidelines published and strict adherence to

guidelines enforced

Focus 2007- 08…

The number of students who gained admission was substantially higher in this year

Over 350 students were admitted in the last academic year, which is a significant increase of 790% since academic year 2005-06

Numbers largely attributed to efforts made towards spreading awareness. Significant inter-community interaction and influence of parents whose

children were successfully admitted in preceding years helped, also made a huge difference.

Apart from the admissions detailed above, Pardarshita discovered that many parents were interested in getting children admitted into MCD schools:

– The admission process was initiated during 2007-08– Parents were mobilized and motivated to admit children in MCD schools– So far, 150 admissions have been successfully done for the academic year 2008-09.

Year # of children admitted2005-06 452006-07 1802007-08 350+

Focus 2007- 08 (MCD Schools)

Apart from the admissions in Private Schools, Pardarshita discovered that many parents were interested in getting children admitted into MCD schools:

– The admission process was initiated during 2007-08– Parents were mobilized and motivated to admit children in

MCD schools– So far, 150 admissions have been successfully done for the

academic year 2008-09 Steps initiated for seeing condition of MCD Schools

– 3 schools identified. Primary XXX XXX

– Visited school, etc XXX

Focus 2007- 08 (MCD Schools)…contd

Report prepared and sent to various people

Report Highlights:

– Existing toilets for students are permanently locked. Students forced to relieve themselves in class rooms.

– Staff has permanently sealed the room with provision of drinking water; due to the fear of taps being stolen. Students forced to go home to satisfy their quench.

– Indulgence by miscreants in illegal activities such as gambling, drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse etc.

– Naked wires protruding through the walls of the new building.

Meeting with Director Education MCD on RTI Applications filed

Problems Faced in Execution & Resolution

Vouchers not filed in time by project supervisors. Ineffective people brought on board Vouchers Management was not properly understood. Repetitive

changes and sending vouchers to Vallabh-bhai– Prepared Guidelines to with vallabh-bhai and distributed to all

Project Coordinator change Management not smooth– Uday is now the Single POC of the project

The Honourarium cheques from Kaithi were taking time to arrive as vouchers were not proper

– Rohini’s account is being used as an Impressed A/c for compensation– With Rohini now taking a break from Asha Delhi’s activities, Uday’s Current

account ICICI Bank, Noida: 0031 05 004878 is being used as imprest account

Money Transfer from Asha Seattle. Cheque takes 6 weeks to arrive. Tried Wire Transfer, which got stuck

– Plan to get FCRA prior permission for Pardarshita/Any other partner org– Money finally reach Kaithi on 26-May-2008, exactly one month after it was

transferred.