Girl Child Education

Education of girls has been a high priority with the Government of India. The
National commitment to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the 6-
14 years age group is now a Fundamental Right of every child in India after the passing
of the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act in December, 2002.
Reaching out to the girl child is central to the efforts to universalize elementary
education. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, or ‘Education for All’ programme recognizes that
ensuring girl’s education requires changes not only in the education system but also in
societal norms and attitudes. A two-pronged gender strategy has therefore been adopted,
to make the education system responsive to the needs of the girls through targeted
interventions which serve as a pull factor to enhance access and retention of girls in
schools and on the other hand, to generate a community demand for girls’ education
through training and mobilisation.

Reaching out to the girl child is central to the efforts to universalize elementary
education. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, or ‘Education for All’ programme recognizes that
ensuring girl’s education requires changes not only in the education system but also in
societal norms and attitudes. A two-pronged gender strategy has therefore been adopted,
to make the education system responsive to the needs of the girls through targeted
interventions which serve as a pull factor to enhance access and retention of girls in
schools and on the other hand, to generate a community demand for girls’ education
through training and mobilisation.
The targeted provision for girls under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan include :
· Free textbooks to all girls upto class VIII
· Separate toilets for girls
· Back to school camps for out-of-school girls
· Bridge courses for older girls
· Recruitment of 50% women teachers
· Early childhood care and Education centers in/near schools/convergence with
ICDS programme etc.
· Teachers’ sensitation programmes to promote equitable learning opportunities
· Gender-sensitive teaching-learning materials including textbooks
· Intensive community mobilisation efforts
· ‘Innovation fund’ per district for need based interventions for ensuring girls’
attendance and retention.

Efforts are being made to generate a community demand for girls’ education and
enabling conditions for people’s and women’s participation, to create the push factors
necessary to guarantee girls education. Motivation and mobilisation of parents and the
community at large, enhancing the role of women and mothers in school related activities
and participation in school committees, and strengthening the linkages between the
school, teachers and communities are some of the ways in which the enabling conditions
are being created.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is a critical and essential input in
freeing girls from sibling care responsibilities, leading to their regular attendance in
school and in providing school readiness skills to pre-school children. The SSA works in
a convergent mode with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme
to promote pre-school education by providing for training of Anganwadi workers,
primary school teachers, and health workers for a convergent understanding of pre-school
and ECCE. The SSA, like other programme in the past, provides funds under Innovative
head (Rs. 15 Lakh per district) and under the NPEGEL component (for 3000 educationally backward blocks) to support pre-school component of ICDS or an interim
pre-school centre where ICDS does not exist but is needed.

In addition, to target pockets where girls education is lagging behind, the
Government of India has launched two focussed interventions for girls – the National
Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) and the Kasturba
Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) to reach out to girls from marginalised social groups
in over 3,000 educationally backward blocks in the country where the female rural
literacy is below the national average and the gender gap in literacy is above the national
average.

Promising Indicators in respect of Girls
Increase in Enrolment at primary level by 8.67 % (86.91 % in 2001-02 to 104.7%
in 2004-05) and at upper primary level by 13% (52.1% in 2001-02 to 65.1% in 2004-05).
Reduction in dropout rate by 14.46% ( from 39.9 % in 2001-02 to 25.42 percentage points in 2004-05 )
Increase in Gender parity
Primary from 0.83 in 2001-02 to 0.95 in 2004-05
Upper primary 0.77 in 2001-02 to 0.88 in 2004-05
8 States have achieved gender parity at primary
20 states/UTs have GPI over 0.90
Female teachers in schools increased from 38.18% in 2004 to 39.78% in 2005
(DISE).
Girl’s toilets – At present 32.75 schools have girl toilets. Being addressed in Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan and in convergence with Total Sanitation Programme of Ministry of
Rural Development.

Girls’ enrolment:
One of the very important attributes to achieve UEE is to ensure gender parity. To measure this, girls’ enrolment as a proportion of the total enrolment has been calculated since 1999-2000; 47% of the students enrolled in primary classes in 2004-05 were girls compared to only 43.6% in 1999-2000. For upper primary, 44% children enrolled in 2004-05 were girls compared to 40.4% in the base year (1999- 2000).

% Girls to Total Enrolment by Stages

DISE data of 2005-06 indicates a gender gap (difference in boys & girls enrolment in
percentage points) of 4.2 at the primary stage and 8.8 at the upper primary stage.
Adjusted for sex ratio, the gender gap at primary stage in 2005-06 was 3.9 percentage
points and 8.2 percentage points at upper primary stage.

SSA and Girls
SSA – needs to make concerted efforts to turn the spotlight on specific groups and locations. Past efforts to communicate general messages were valuable and need to continue, however there is a need for more group / community / location specific strategies and communication practices. In short, the most difficult to reach need a lot more context specific attention

Recommendations
1. It is recommended that the XI plan period pay special attention to specific groups / communities and locations and compile information on the enrolment, retention and class-wise drop out rates of girls across clearly identified social groups – Scheduled Caste (sub-groups of SC who are especially deprived), Muslim communities (rural/urban), Scheduled Tribe (specific tribes that are especially deprived), OBC groups where educational status of women continues to be poor. Systemic mapping of social / groups and communities need to be done district-wise and data compiled by social group / subgroup (where relevant) and by gender. This needs to be followed up with adapting / modifying existing provisions under SSA and programmes like Mahila Samakhya, NPEGEL and KGBV to meet specific needs of groups identified.

Equally, the situation of different socio-economic groups in urban areas needs to be
mapped and special plans prepared for urban areas – metros, large and small towns
and peri-urban areas. The situation of migrant groups needs to be mapped annually in
order to capture the dynamic situation and increasing migration

District SSA plans should have a clearly discernable budget line / activities designed to
address gender disparity in access, retention and quality monitoring. The situation of
specific social groups / hardest to reach group must be analysed and presented in
these plans.

It is recommended that – where necessary – special projects be designed within SSA to meet the specific educational needs of girls in specific social groups – especially Muslim girls in both rural and urban areas.

Funding and supporting formal schools should be the core of SSA’s initiatives in promoting
education amongst Muslim girls. Support to Maktabs and Madarsas cannot be a substitute for regular schooling.

Strengthen the formal school system, where necessary through girls’ schools at
the middle level in order to ensure that girls have greater access to formal school.
There need to be more formal schools for girls in Muslim areas and for specific
OBC communities in Northern and North-western India and those areas where
there are other social groups where girls are pulled out after primary. The government
needs to carry out detailed mapping of social groups / areas where girls education
beyond the primary level is constrained because of lack of exclusive girls schools.

It goes without saying that more girls schools means more women teachers, given
prevailing cultural practices and also growing sense of insecurity of girls in mixed
schools (recent reports on sexual abuse of girls in some states) there needs to be a
provision whereby the community is encouraged to appoint older women as escorts.
Essentially multiple strategies are required to enable girls to go beyond the
primary stage and access formal schooling.

The formal system needs to be made more gender sensitive. Once they are in the schools, greater efforts need to be made to retain them through systematic monitoring of education quality. The importance of strengthening the formal school system was also flagged as a priority in the working group report on elementary education for the X Five year plan also.

Given the high drop out rates, especially at the middle school level infrastructural
issues like merit urgent attention. A school sanitation programme in both rural and
urban areas could be considered. Equally, classroom and school environment influence
retention, completion and learning merit systematic and sustained attention.

Percentage of women teachers has been highlighted through the decade of the 1990s and SSA guidelines today provide for 50% women teachers and states are required to hire more women teachers. Notwithstanding the current policy thrust, it is important to acknowledge that opening more girls’ school would mean more women teachers – especially at middle and secondary schools. More women qualified to become science and mathematics teachers are required. A 5 to 10 year strategy to increase the pool of educated / trained women from specific areas / social groups needs to be formulated.

A medium to long term human resource creation / management policy is required to meet this
shortage especially given that this shortage is more acute in girls’ schools at the HS /SS level. Increasing the pool of educated and trained women among SC, ST, specific OBC and Muslim communities needs special attention. This could be done through time-bound programmes to enable girls to complete secondary education and creating opportunities for teacher training courses – albeit through special initiatives / programmes for communities / areas where the situation of girls education is particularly bad.

The existing pattern of clubbing all special efforts into one omnibus clause of “innovations” with a fixed allocation of Rs 15 lakhs per district needs to be reviewed rigorously. The XI Plan should provide scope for context-specific / social-group specific / location specific modifications within the main scheme of programme like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Separate projects for girls at risk: The situation of street children and thousands of visible and
invisible working children needs to be mapped annually with the help of voluntary organisations working in urban areas. Where necessary, separate projects could be designed for girls at risk and in difficult circumstances. SSA needs to create space for special projects by providing flexible norms and not limit it to “innovations”. For example areas like Mewat (Haryana) or specific communities like Nari Kurava, Musahar, Sahariya, Lambada (to name a few) have very low female literacy rates and girls education in such areas / communities remains a huge challenge. Similar special projects could also be taken up – where necessary – in disturbed areas. This should not be subsumed into an omnibus innovation fund.

It is understood and accepted that all ongoing elementary education schemes
complement each other and that planning is expected to be done in a holistic manner
to suitably address all issues and concerns – weighing available options. One of the
weak areas is that it has not always been possible to discern a clear link between the
situation analysis, the interventions and budgets proposed and the expected outcomes
along with a time frame

Building on the gender budgeting ideas of the government the XI Plan could introduce systematic tracking of funds allocated for girls’ education / special focus group (SC,ST, Muslim, OBC and remote areas). It is not enough to expenditure alone - tracking but programme tracking. Identify institutions that can undertake do concurrent monitoring / tracking in each region / state or clusters of states.

Giving an identifiable budget / tracking code for efforts to promote girls’ education could enable the government indicate funds drawn from different schemes/provisions such as SSA (free textbooks to girls, REMS, gender training of teachers, monthly CRC/BRC level meetings for girls, etc) EGS & AIE, Mahila Samakhya, NPEGEL and KGBV and schemes of the State Government for different interventions. Systematizing the approach to girls’ education through well articulated plans and identifiable codes that can be tracked will facilitate timeliness of implementation, review, monitoring and reporting progress, and incorporating necessary changes in approach.

OLDER GIRLS – DROP OUT AND NEVER ENROLLED
Given the pattern of drop-outs it is evident that there are a large number of older girls (11+) who are not attending any educational institution. The educational needs of older girls may or may not be met through the routine programme of bridge courses followed by mainstreaming into formal institutions. While the AIE (Alternative Innovative education) has certainly expanded – there is a need to address quality issues more systematically. As of now there is no considered strategy for accelerated learning and most programmes adapt the regular curriculum to the needs of accelerated learning. It is time that Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan addresses the need to develop appropriate and relevant curricula for the education of older girls who are not in school and follow-up mainstreaming strategies with mechanisms
to provide ongoing support to the newly mainstreamed children. There is also a need for clearer articulation of time-frame and expected outcomes for better monitoring and evaluation.

In this context there is a need to review existing accelerated learning and bridging programmes like RBC, NRBC. These programme need to become more rigorous and meet basic quality standards that are applied to the formal school system. The pedagogy and curriculum of such programmes need serious review.

The objective of the 11th Plan should be to ensure all children up to the age of 14 have access to education – especially for older girls who may have missed primary / may have dropped out

A time-bound effort to turn the spotlight on older out of school girls (10+ age group), using micro-planning, community events, support like escorts, remedial / additional education support for girls, addressing the work burden of older girls at home (school going and out of school). The experience of Mahila Samakhya could be very valuable here.

Curriculum and pedagogic practices need to be reviewed and designed specifically to address the requirements of accelerated learning programmes taken up in residential and non-residential bridge courses, residential programmes for older out of school girls to enable them to complete grade 7 or 8 (as the case may be) and even class 10 through specialised programmes. SSA needs to redesign the RBC and NRBC and base it on the experience gained through the 10th Plan period.

QUALITY AND CONTENT
The discourse on girls’ education has not moved significantly beyond “quantitative” and formal notions of parity (gender parity in enrolment, retention, dropout rates) and issues of education quality, classroom practices and gender equality inside the classroom / school remain untouched

Education is a means of socialisation and values / practices that inform the system that exerts significant influence on the lives of children. There is a need to systematically look inside the classroom to engender change in the classroom; what girls and boys are actually learning in school needs equal attention. Equally, there is a need to transform classrooms into effective spaces where one can help girls question and break out of stereotypes that are reinforced through socialisation processes – MSKs (of Mahila Samakhya Programme) are good illustrations of how one can go about it. The lessons / learning of the MSK programme as well as that of the Balika Shikshan Shivir of the former Lok Jumbish Programme of Rajasthan needs to be internalised in mainstream institutions. In particular, there is a need
to ensure that the KGBV, Bridge Courses and other mechanisms to get out of school children back into the formal stream pay special attention to issues of socialisation. This is particularly important because it is the most deprived who access alternative education programmes and bridge courses. Therefore the mandate must be to provide empowering education that stimulates critical thinking and the ability to question relations of power among learners.

The role of the teacher is critical in this context. The strategy till now has been to introduce Gender as a session or two for in-service and pre-service teachers. Such isolated, ad hoc inputs can lead to resistance from teacher’s who may view this as “worthless knowledge”, that which has no relation to the technical upgradation of skills. Therefore, a long-term vision that integrates gender within the pre-service and inservice training programmes in meaningful and practical ways is required. It is necessary to integrate gender and social equity concerns into the very fabric of training programmes – making it an inherent part of the analysis and also sensitisation of teachers to the situation of children who are doubly disadvantaged (social group as well as gender). This needs to be integrated into GOI strategies for teacher education.

There is a need to develop a of range exemplar TLM for the learner and also for
teachers, DIET’s and SCERT’s. These materials need to be located within the existing
syllabi, the subjects or disciplines being transacted. Collaborations between women’s
groups, resource centres, university based women-studies department, NCERT, SCERT,
DIET members must be operationalised to develop this exemplar subject based gender
materials.

NPEGEL AND KGBV – SPECIAL INITIATIVES FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION
As targeted schemes that are integral to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, both the NPEGEL and KGBV schemes complement the provisions and efforts of SSA in pursuit of the larger goals of UEE. They work for similar ends with the added advantage of targeting some of the most vulnerable and so far excluded segments of girls. Both schemes were introduced during the Tenth Plan period and implementation experiences have provided valuable insights and learning that are worth considering in formulating the approach to girls’ education during the Eleventh Plan period.

All strategies and interventions must target girls both ‘in’ and ‘out’ of school within defined geographic bounds like districts, blocks, clusters with a focus on INCLUSION and QUALITY. The dimensions of inclusion include access to schooling facilities and universal enrolment of girls. Inclusion can be considered effective only on the basis of regular attendance of girls and their retention in school. Quality of education to girls implies their improved

·achievement rates seen in examination results for which reduced repetition and dropout rates will be necessary preconditions
·completion rates to render the system efficient
·transition rates to next level of education
·empowerment of girls through exposure to ‘other than textbooks’ activities to enhance their
information base, their self esteem and self-confidence, skills and capacities to equip them for coping with different situations in life, enable them to make informed choices, participate in decision making processes, access resources that will assure them quality of life.

During the Eleventh Plan period the key to an effective approach for girls’ education would be detailed situation analysis and familiarity with impediments to girls’ education. Information about girls ‘in’ and ‘out’ of school – their numbers, location, personal details – is imperative for facilitating a targeted approach, rationalizing allocation of resources, and for monitoring progress against targets that are set to time frames. This analysis should include, a break up for specially disadvantaged communities in that area - whether it is social or caste groups, geographical area or other categories, e g displaced persons etc.

The present use of gender gap in literacy rates has reportedly excluded districts and blocks with very low female and male literacy rates. It is therefore recommended that the criteria for eligibility of blocks for NPEGEL and KGBV be reviewed and the following considered:
–Identify educationally backward blocks (EBB) where the female literacy rate is lower that 30%;
–Blocks with high (over 20%) SC/ST and Muslim Population where the female literacy rate is lower than national average

As per the existing arrangement while NPEGEL is an integral part of SSA it retains its separate identity. It is recommended that this arrangement should continue for NPEGEL and KGBV be assigned the same status to retain focus on older girls. This is being suggested to safeguard certain existing provisions in the schemes, viz., management cost, and civil works as additionality over and above the ceilings applicable in SSA. If the management cost is to be drawn from the larger pool of SSA it is possible that funds received for NPEGEL and KGBV could be used for executing activities that are considered more important. But if it is separately earmarked, it will be possible to avert such operational difficulties.

The NPEGEL scheme includes a line of functionaries supported by resource groups running through village to State. The operational structure needs to be in place for implementing strategies and interventions for promoting girls’ education in the States. In addition, a State level resource group is necessary to steer and guide operations in the districts. A fully functional operational structure could be made a prerequisite for approval of AWPBs and release of funds.

A resource pool may be created at all levels to support programming for girls’ education. This resource pool may comprise active and committed youth and women, members of women’s groups, retired teachers, SHG members, members of NGOs, functionaries of other Departments, etc.

Specific to NPEGEL – It is widely recognized that opportunities of learning through systems of open schooling can potentially narrow gaps in access, particularly for older girls who have remained disconnected with education. However, the option of open learning is not evenly available across the country. The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), for instance, provides learning opportunities in a few languages that restricts this option for improved access to specific parts of the country. Also, State open schools are not available in all the States. Possibilities need to be explored with NIOS for introducing teaching learning in additional languages

The National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) needs to be
focused on blocks with Rural Female Literacy Rate (RFLR) below 30% as per 2001 Census as well as the existing criteria of the scheme (i.e. educationally backward blocks (EBBs) where the level of rural female literacy is less than the national average and the gender gap is above the national average; in blocks of districts which are not covered under EBBs but are having at least 5% SC/ST population and where SC/ST female literacy is below 10%; and also in select urban slums).

NPEGEL programme instead of fragmented components, should address special projects for girls at risk/girls in difficult circumstances in 6 to 14 years age group.

The design of the programme for girls in these blocks could include any of the elements already stipulated in SSA Remedial Teaching, Bridge Courses, Alternative Schools; Child Care Centres; and also initiate several other measures specific to the NPEGEL component to suit context specificities and local requirements.

Specific to KGBV
There are three models of KGBVs at present. It is recommended that these be reduced to two on the basis of two criteria, viz., (i) school along with hostel and (ii) providing residential facilities in existing upper primary schools. The number of girls could cease to be a criterion and it is recommended that GOI permit State Governments to fix the number of seats desired on the basis of their needs. This flexibility is being introduced as a means of mopping up girls who are out of school.

Girl Child Education : Government Interventions

National Programme for Education of Girls for Elementary Level (NPEGEL)
The NPEGEL, launched in September 2003, is an integral but distinct component
of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It provides additional provisions for enhancing the
education of underprivileged/disadvantaged girls at elementary level through more
intense community mobilisation, the development of model schools in clusters, gender
sensitisation of teachers, development of gender sensitive learning materials, early child
care and education facilities and provision of need-based incentives like escorts,
stationery, work books and uniforms etc. for girls.
All Educationally Backward Blocks have been included under NPEGEL.
Achievements under National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary
Level :
· 35,645 Model Schools developed
· 2.29 lakh teachers gender sensitized in EBBs.
· Skill building for girls on diverse trades and life skills.
· 21,898 additional rooms constructed for being used as space for bridge courses,
teacher training and skill building activities for girls.
· Over 39,289 ECCE centres are being supported in non ICDS areas and 3.54 lakh
Anganwadi centres, to help free girls from sibling care responsibilities, in order to
attend schools.
· 20.98 lakh girls benefited from remedial teaching during 2006-07.
· 1.25 lakh girls benefited through bridge courses during 2006-07.
· Additional incentives (free uniforms/cycles, worksheets etc.) to over 2.29 crore
girls in EBB blocks as a direct educational incentive.

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) is a scheme launched in July 2004,
for setting up residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly
to the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities. The scheme is being implemented in
educationally backward blocks of the country where the female rural literacy is below the
national average and gender gap in literacy is above the national average. The scheme
provides for a minimum reservation of 75% of the seats for girls belonging to SC, ST, OBC or minority communities and priority for the remaining 25%, is accorded to girls
from families below poverty line.

The scheme is being implemented in 24 States namely: Assam, Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, , Jharkhand, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka,
Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Manipur, Maharashtra, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and
West Bengal and the Union Territory of Dadar & Nagar Haveli.

2180 KGBVs were sanctioned by Government of India upto March 2007. Of these, 1226 KGBVs are reported to have been made operational in the States and 80,853
girls enrolled in them. (19823 SC girls (25%); 23298 ST girls (29%); 20137 OBC girls
(25%); 13417 BPL girls (17%); 4178 Minority girls (5%). The total amount released by
Government of India till 31.3.2007 is Rs. 43552.54 lakhs.

The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme is merged with Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan in the XIth Plan with effect from 1st April, 2007.

State Initiatives for promoting girls education
UP: Meena Manch
Forum for adolescent girls to discuss their own issues and
motivate girls to attend school.

Haryana
Bicycles are given to girls on joining class VI in a Govt. school located
outside the village to prevent dropout at the end of class V and help girls to complete
8 years of schooling16171 girls in 2004-05 and more than 21000 girls 2005-06
benefitted from the programme

Uttar Pradesh:
Intensive campaign for community mobilisation in selected villages; 21 days training
of instructors; use of TLM; residential arrangement for girls and instructors;
arrangements for sports, cultural programmes, life skills.

MP
Decentralised provisioning of additional incentives, e.g.: school uniforms, by
the local bodies, to motivate girls retention in schools.

Uttaranchal
Provisioning ECE in a convergent mode with ICDS; SSA supporting with
additional TLM; capacity building; honorarium; constructing rooms in primary
schools for running ECE centres; relocation of ICDS centres in/near primary schools;
synchronized timings of ECE and primary school

Orissa – Kalasi Dhara (carrying earthen vessel)
An initiative to mobilise the community and Mother Teacher Associations to monitor the attendance of teachers and children, cleanliness of the school compound, regularity of classes being held. The designated mothers are also required to bring to school those children found to be absent by motivating their parents etc.

Bihar
Summer Camps for Remedial Teaching, provided to girls

Madhya Pradesh
Open Learning for many girls who are unable to complete elementary education due to poor access. A tie up with State Open School where there is a 50:50 cost sharing between SSA & State Open School for the girls fees.

GUIDELINES  FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF  KASTURBA GANDHI BALIKA VIDYALAYA (KGBV) 

1. Background

1.1       The Government of India has approved a new scheme called Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) for setting up upto 750 residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas.  The scheme will be coordinated with the existing schemes of Department of Elementary Education & Literacy viz. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) and Mahila Samakhya (MS).

 2.  Scope/ Coverage of the scheme

2.1       The scheme would be applicable only in those identified Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) where, as per census data of 2001, the rural female literacy is below the national average and gender gap in literacy is more than the national average. Among these blocks, schools may be set up in areas with:

 ¨   concentration of tribal population, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;

¨  concentration of SC, OBC and minority populations, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;

¨  areas with low female literacy;  or

¨   areas with a large number of small, scattered habitations that do not qualify for a school

 The criteria for eligible EBB will be the same as in the NPEGEL scheme of SSA.

3.Objective

3.1       Gender disparities still persist in rural areas and among disadvantaged communities. Looking at enrolment trends, there remain significant gaps in the enrolment of girls at the elementary level as compared to boys, especially at the upper primary levels.  The objective of KGBV is to ensure access and quality education to the girls of disadvantaged groups of society by setting up residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level.

4. Strategies

4.1       Between 500 to 750 residential schools will be opened in a phased manner over the Xth Plan period at an estimated cost of Rs. 19.05 lakh as recurring cost and Rs. 26.25 lakh as non-recurring cost, per school.  Initially, the proposed schools  shall be opened in rented or other available Government buildings after deciding the location.

4.2       Such residential schools will be set up only in those backward blocks that do not have residential schools for elementary education of girls under any other scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This shall be ensured by the district level authority of SSA at the time of actual district level planning of KGBV initiatives by co-ordinating with the other Departments/Ministries.  A list of educational complex being run by Ministry of Tribal Affairs is enclosed for facilitating selection of KGBV.

 5.     The components of the scheme will be as follows:

(i) Setting up of residential schools where there are a minimum of 50 girls predominantly from the SC, ST and minority communities available to study in the school at the elementary level.  The number can be more than 50 depending on the number of eligible girls.  Three possible models for such school have been identified and given at Annex.I(a) to I(c).

(ii)                To provide necessary infrastructure for these schools

(iii)               To prepare and procure  necessary teaching learning material and aids for the schools

(iv)              To put in place appropriate systems to provide necessary academic support and for evaluation and monitoring

(v)                To motivate and prepare the girls and their families to send them to residential school

(vi)              At the primary level the emphasis will be on the slightly older girls who are out of school and were unable to complete primary schools (10+). However, in  difficult  areas  (migratory populations, scattered habitations that do not qualify for primary/ upper primary schools)  younger girls can also be targeted

(vii)             At the upper primary level, emphasis will be on girls, especially, adolescent girls who are unable to go to regular schools

(viii)           In view of the targeted nature of the scheme, 75% girls from SC, ST, OBC or minority communities would be accorded priority for enrolment in such residential schools and only thereafter,  25% girls from families below poverty line.

(ix)              Established NGOs and other non-profit making bodies will be involved in the running of the schools, wherever possible. These residential schools can also be adopted by the corporate groups.  Separate guidelines are being issued in the ma

6. Implementation, monitoring and evaluation

 6.1       The scheme will be implemented by State Governments through the Mahila Samakhya (MS) Society in MS states and through the SSA society in case of other states. Funds will be released as per SSA pattern to the State SSA societies. The monitoring and evaluation at the State and district level will be undertaken by the MS State Resource Centers and  in non-MS states, through the committee created for the National Programme for Education of Girls at the Elementary Level in the SSA society. 

6.2       Training for teachers and staff at the residential schools will be coordinated by the District Institutes of Educational Training, Block Resource Centres and the Mahila Samakhya Resource Groups.

7.State Support Group

 7.1       An Advisory State level coordination committee as approved under the NPEGEL scheme, shall provide direction and support to the programme. This group will consist of nominees from relevant State Government Departments, Government of India, experts in the field of girls education, educationists etc. The selection of an appropriate model of the school and its location would be done by this Committee based on the recommendation of the district committee implementing the NPEGEL and the new proposed scheme.

8. National Support Group

8.1       The National Resource Group (NRG) created under the Mahila Samakhya programme at the National level shall provide inputs on conceptual issues and concerns arising in the programme, and advice GOI on policy matters concerning the education of girls. This group will provide the interface with research and training institutions, women's movement, educationists and non-Governmental  institutions and also bring in other experiences of educating girls.

8.2       Since the NRG, consists of a small number of persons and meets only two to three times in a year, smaller sub committees of the NRG created for specific inputs, like gender training of teachers, development of gender based teaching learning material, development of  audio visual programmes etc. will co- opt additional  persons from relevant institutions or experts for the purpose.

9.  Methodology

9.1       Based on the number of girls and the type of residential school to be provided, the selection of the model of the school to be selected would be done by a State Level Committee based on the recommendation of the District Committee for the purpose.  The proposal shall be forwarded to the Cell at the National level who shall appraise them with the help of external agencies/consultants, where necessary.  Finally, the Project Approval Board of SSA will approve these plans.

10. Financial Norms under KGBV

10.1     The SSA pattern of financing with a 75:25 ratio of sharing between the Centre and the States during the Tenth Five Year Plan, and 50:50 thereafter, will be adopted for KGBV as well.  Commitments regarding sharing of cost would be taken from the State Governments in writing.

10.2     The provisions for KGBV will be in addition to the provisions already made under SSA and for NPEGEL.  The SSA Society shall ensure convergence of KGBV with NPEGEL and Mahila Samakhya programme. It shall also ensure that funds allocated are appropriately invested and there is no duplication of activities. 

10.3     The Government of India would directly release funds to the SSA State Implementation Society.  The State Government will also release its share to the State Implementation Society.  Funds will be released thereafter to the Mahila Samakhya Society wherever applicable.  In States where MS is not being implemented, the implementation of this scheme will be through the 'Gender Unit' of SSA Society and existing mechanism used for implementation of SSA will be followed.

10.4     The State Society should open a separate Savings Bank Account for operating the funds of KGBV.  State Government should also release its matching share to the State SSA Society through a separate budget head.  Separate accounts will have to be maintained at district and sub-district structures, accordingly.

Annex I(a)

 FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- I
(Scenario I: Cost estimates for 100 girls)

Rs in lakhs

Rs in lakhs

* Based on calculations for 100 girls.  The number of girls can, however, increase

Annex I(b)

 FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- II

(Scenario II: Cost estimates for 50 girls)

NON RECURRING:

Rs in lakhs

RECURRING COSTS PER ANNUM:

Rs in lakhs

* Based on calculations for 50 girls. The number of girls can, however, increase.

Annex I(c)

FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- III

NON RECURRING:

Rs in lakhs

 RECURRING COSTS PER ANNUM:

Rs in lakhs

* Based on calculations for 50 girls. The number of girls can, however, increase.

SCHEME FOR STRENGTHENING OF BOARDING AND HOSTEL F ACILITIES FOR GIRL STUDENTS O F SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Financial Assistance to Voluntary Agencies

1 Introduction: Low enrollment of girls at secondary stage
In many parts of the world, the girls have progressed towards equal educational enrollment and
achievement rates with the boys at all levels of schooling, but in this country wide gaps persist
between boys' and girls' enrollment and achievement; particularly at the secondary stage. A very
large section of our female population in the 14-19 age group still do not have access to educational resources and this deprivation has critical consequences for the coming generations of Indian women. Despite considerable progress towards literacy and elementary education, a huge historical deficit of girls' education remains in this country. The disparity between boys' and girls' enrollment is particularly marked at the secondary stage. As per the latest data available, out of the total enrollment of 21.2 millions n 1991-92 (as on 30.9.91) at the secondary stage (Classes IX and above), the girls account for 7 millions only, i.e. mere 33 per cent of the total enrollment, whereas boy's enrollment at this stage of education is 67 per cent of the total enrollment. There are significant rural-urban disparities among women, rural female literacy being about half of the urban female literacy. A striking finding is that for every 100 girls in Class I in rural areas, there are only 40 in Class V, 18 in Class VIII, 9 in Class IX and one in Class XII - the corresponding figures for urban areas being 82, 62, 32 and 14 Class ten to twelve years of general education is the basic requirement for entrance into technical and professional education, rural girls would therefore, continue to lag far behind. A large proportion of vocational, higher and technical education facilities are located in urban or semi-urban areas. Participation of girls in this
sector continue to be low and gender-stereo-typed. Similarly, proportion of women and girls in
engineering and agriculture-based courses is woefully low. It is, therefore, imperative that the
entire educational system becomes live to the gender and regional dimensions of educational
disparities.

2. Main factors impeding growth of enrollment of adolescent girls belonging to rural areas
and weaker sections
The main factor responsible for slow pace of growth of enrollment of adolescent girls of rural, desert and hilly areas, particularly those belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and educationally backward minorities in high/higher secondary schools is the traditional societal inhibitions against their free movement outside the family precincts and also against their education particularly beyond the elementary stage. Since the high/higher secondary schools in such areas are sparsely located, the girls remain particularly disadvantaged by not being able to cover considerable distance between their homes and the high/higher secondary schools. an adolescent girl of these sections of society who is able to survive within the educational system despite the negative pulls and pressures from her family, the community and socio-cultural taboos, does so through her own determination and community innate strength to struggle continuously against these odds. These girls are, therefore, desperately in need of special enabling mechanism to facilitate their education beyond the elementary stage. These girls educated up to the higher secondary stage will not only be eligible to enter into engineering,
medical and other professional courses and become employable for their individual development
and empowerment, but they will be the catalysts for generating awareness in their communities
for women's empowerment and guiding such communities towards all-round socio-economic
advancement particularly in the area of curtailing population growth.

3. The problem of distance
The distance between the girl's residences in rural and backward areas and the high/higher
secondary schools is, therefore, a major impediment. The number of residential high/higher
secondary schools for girls or of co-educational schools of these levels providing hostel facilities
to these girl students is sow low that alternative facilities for girls' hostels will need to be
supported.

4. The Constitutional directive
The Preamble to the Constitution of India expresses a commitment for an egalitarian society in
the country to secure to all its citizens, 'equality of status and of opportunity'. Article 39 of the
Constitution resolves, inter-alia, to direct the State policy towards securing equal rights to men
and women to an adequate means of livelihood.

5. NPE postulates and Programme of Action, 1992
The national Policy on Education (NPE) was approved by the Parliament in 1986 and the revised
policy formulations which set forth the modifications to the NPE, 1986 were placed in both the
Houses of Parliament on 7 May, 1992 and the Programme of Action (POA) for its implementation
on 19 August 1992. These documents spell out the immediate, medium-term as well as longterm
goals of education development, and also the strategies to be adopted for the achievement
of these goals.

5.1 The NPE (paras 4.2 and 4.3) lays special emphasis on education for women's equality. The
policy calls for a well-conceived edge in favour of women in order to neutralise the accumulated
distortions of the past. The policy requires the National Education System to play a positive
interventionist role in the empowerment of women. The policy calls for a major emphasis on
women's participation in vocational, technical and professional education. The NPE resolves
further, to vigorously pursue the policy of non-discrimination to eliminate sex-stereotyping in
vocational and professional courses and to promote women's participation in non-traditional
occupations, as well as in existing and emergent technologies.

5.2 The NPE (para 5.13) expresses a resolve to widen access to secondary education with emphasis on enrollment of girls, particularly in science, commerce and vocational streams. In the chapter on Secondary Education (para 8.4.1 of POA, 1992), certain steps to implement this postulate of the NPE have been identified. One of such steps is to urge the States/UTs to formulate a special enabling plan to ensure increase in the enrollment of girls. However, it is felt that there should be some manifestation of intervention on the part of the Union Government to actualise the NPE resolve to widen access to girls to Secondary Education. Para 3.13 of NPE, while explaining the nuances of 'a meaningful partnership' between the Centre and the States in educational programmes, has called upon the Union Government to accept a larger responsibility to reinforce the national and integrative character of education. Since implementation of an enabling plan for widening access of girls to secondary education (which includes the secondary stage also), particularly in science, commerce and vocational stream, is a national objective. There should be a demonstration of central initiative in taking some measures with a view to encouraging the States/UTs to adopt and implement their enabling plans.

5.3 The NPE has stressed (para 10.1) on giving pre-eminence to people's involvement including
association of non-governmental agencies and voluntary effort in management of education. The
policy also makes a specific resolve (para 10.9) to encourage non-government and voluntary
effort and provide financial assistance to them.

5.4 Keeping in view the above-mentioned policy directives on facilitating widening of access of
girls to secondary education and strategies identified in POA, 1992 to implement them, this
Central Plan Scheme has been framed for providing assistance to voluntary organisations for
strengthening boarding/hostel facilities for girl students of high/higher secondary schools.

6. Features of the scheme
The main features of the scheme are listed below:

i. The assistance under this scheme would be 100 percent for the existing hostels/hoarding
houses being maintained exclusively for girls by the voluntary organisations satisfying the
eligibility conditions laid down in para 7 above.

ii. The assistance under this scheme would be given for meeting non-recurring expenditure
as one-time grant for provision of essential furniture, utensils and meeting other basic
recreational needs and also for meeting recurring expenditure for food of inmates and
emoluments of the cook and warden, as detailed in para 8 below.

iii. No assistance under this scheme would be provided for establishment or construction of
hostels/boarding houses or for meeting expenditure to carry out building repairs in the
existing hostels/boarding houses.

iv. Preference in providing assistance under the scheme will be given to the girls'
hostel/boarding houses located in educationally backward districts, particularly those
predominantly inhabited by SCs/STs and educationally backward minorities.

7. Eligibility
i. Voluntary organisations, societies, public trust and profit-making bodies registered for at least three years would be eligible for assistance under this scheme.

ii. Only such eligible agencies who are running hostels/boarding houses for at least 25 girls studying in Classes IX-XII in recognised schools would get assistance under this Scheme subject to an overall number of 50 boarders.

iii. Such agencies, in order to be eligible for assistance under this scheme, should:
a. have a proper constitution of articles of association;
b. have a properly constituted managing body with its powers and duties clearly defined in the constitution;
c. not be run for profit of any individual or a body of individuals;
d. not discriminate against any person or group of persons on ground of sex, religion, caste or creed;
e. not directly function for the furtherance of the interests of any political party;
f. not proselytise; and
g. not in any manner incite communal disharmony.

8. Nature of assistance

Assistance will be available for the following purposes and extents :
i. Non-recurring
A one-time grant @Rs.1500/- per girl boarder for purchase of furniture (including beds) and utensils and provision of basic recreational aids, particularly material for sports and games, reading room equipments and books.

ii. Recurring
Rs.5000/- per annum per girl boarder for food and salary of cook and warden if the hostel/boarding houses accommodate at least 25 girl boarders who are students of Classes IX-XII of recognised schools will be provided.

iii. The assistance under this scheme will be made after taking into consideration the grant
received, or likely to be received from some other official or non-official sources. It should also be ensured that an agency already in receipt of, grant from any other source, should not transfer any part of that liability to a grant to be sanctioned under this scheme.

The assistance under this scheme would be 100 percent subject to a ceiling of a recurring
expenditure of Rs.2.50 Lakhs per annum for 50 boarders studying in Classes XI-XII.

The Government of India, therefore, has decided to increase the funds under the scheme w.e.f. 16.08.2001 and modify the scheme as under:-

i. The recurring grant under the Scheme has been revised to Rs.10,000/- per annum per girl boarder from the existing ceiling of Rs.5,000/-.

ii. Non-recurring grant per girl boarder has been revised from the existing level of Rs.1500/- to Rs.3,000/-.

iii. Reimbursement of rent, repairs and maintenance up to 75% of the expenditure shall be admissible subject to an upper limit of Rs.5.00 lakhs per annum in each case. This component is to be determined on the basis of norms of space per girl to be worked out in a district level by district administration whose recommendations is mandatory. The benefit will be extended to only such organizations, which do not already have their building for this purpose. In such cases, the requisite amount of repairs and maintenance will be considered based on their recommendations of the district administration.

iv. The girl boarders who are studying in classes VI-VIII shall also be eligible to get assistance under the scheme instead of confining it to only classes IX-XII as at present. The girls pursuing vocational/technical courses after classes VIII will also be eligible to get financial assistance under the scheme.

v. The upper limit of 50 girl boarders is relaxed subject to a maximum of 150 girl boarders
depending upon the capability of the organization to run the hostel.

9. The procedure
(a) Application

i. Any agency eligible to receive assistance may make an application in the form appended in Annex. I. The applications should be addressed to the "Ministry of Human Resource Development, (Department of Education), Government of India, New Delhi through the Education Departments of the concerned State Government or UT administration (with a copy endorsed directly to the Ministry). Application should normally cover requirement for three years but can also be for a minimum period of one year.

ii. The concerned State Government or UT Administration should give its views, within a period of three months, regarding the agency's eligibility and genuineness and verifying the number of girl boarders studying in Classes IX-XII in recognised schools, after obtaining the certificates from the Headmasters/Principals of the schools where such girls are studying. Comments should be sent by the concerned State/UT Government even if the proposal is not recommended, giving reason therefor. The Ministry may consider an application if the comments of the State/UT Government are not received within three months after obtaining these verifications from the concerned Field Adviser of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

(b) Grant-in-Aid Committee
The applications for grant-in-aid would be considered by a Grant-in-Aid Committee to be appointed by the Ministry. A representative of the State Government or UT Administration and of the agency making application may be invited to discuss the proposal with the committee.

(c) Release of Grant
On approval of the project the grant shall be released to the agency on an annual basis in two
installments - the first installment amounting to 50 percent of the year's grant shall be released
immediately after the issue of the sanction. After the agency concerned has utilised 75 percent of
the first installment, it may make a request for release of the subsequent installment along with a
progress report and the certificate(s) from the Headmasters/ Principals of the recognised schools
in regard to the number of girl boarders who are the students in Class IX-XII in their schools.

(d) Disbursement
The grant payable to an agency would be remitted to it directly by a demand draft/cheque drawn
in favour by the Ministry of Human Resource Development with information to the State/UT
Government.

10. Conditions of Grant

i. The grant-receiving agency will be required to execute a bond on a prescribed form, appended in Annex II.

ii. An agency in receipt of financial assistance shall be open to inspection by an officer of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development or the State/UT Education Department.

iii. The accounts of the agency shall be maintained properly and separately and submitted as and when required. They should be open to check by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the State/UT Government. They shall also be open to a testcheck by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion.

iv. The audited accounts together with utilisation certificate in the prescribed form, duly countersigned by the Chartered Accountant, are required to be furnished within six months in respect of a preceding year or after expiry of the duration for which the grant is approved.

v. The agency shall maintain a record of all assets acquired wholly or substantially out of the Government grant and maintain a register of such assets in the prescribed proforma. Such assets shall not be disposed of or encumbered or "utilised for purposes other than for which the grant was given, without prior sanction of the Government of India. Should the agency cease to exist at any time, such properties shall revert to the Government of India.

vi. When the Government of India or the State/UT Government have reasons to believe that the sanctioned money is not being utilised for the approved purpose, the payment of grant may be stopped and the earlier grants recovered. The activities of the agency would be evaluated in the schools from the Headmasters/Principals of, the recognised schools in regard to the number of girl boarders who are the students in Classes IX-XII in their schools. Such evaluation reports to be sent by the grantee agencies for release of the second installment as provided in para 9c) above, will be utilised for the purpose of determining future capabilities of agencies. Necessary help from the State/UT
Government would be sought for in obtaining such reports from the Principals/headmasters of the Schools.

vii. The institution must exercise reasonably economy in the working of the approved project.

viii. The grantee agency shall furnish to the Ministry of Human Resource Development reports as may be prescribed.

ix. The decisions of the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education on the question whether there has been breach of violation of any of the terms and conditions mentioned in the sanction letter shall be final and binding on the grantee.

11. Monitoring and Evaluation
The in-built evaluation system as explained in paras 9(c) and 10(vi) above, is expected to ensure
timely and satisfactory running of the hostels/boarding houses assisted under the scheme.
However, the entire scheme will also be evaluated for a period of three years by any appropriate
agency to be engaged by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Girl Child Education : NGO Interventions

Vikas Adhyayan Kendra
Around 200 children (10-16 years of age) avail of the classes which are held every evening after school, in a rented room in a neighboring slum. Most of the students are Muslim girls from extremely conservative backgrounds, who may face parental opposition to continuing their studies. In addition to providing academic help, the teachers also interact with the parents of the children and try to stress the importance of education for the child's future. They also frequently help the extremely poor students with uniforms, books and study material as needed. The classroom provides a conducive atmosphere for the children to study in, which is usually not available to them at home.

Tuition Centers
After school support centers provide supplemental learning to compensate for poor quality education provided in the government school. In some cases they offer evening classes to child laborers. These centers have been fairly effective in increasing the pass rates for the standard examinations held in 10th and other grades, and in ensuring that children stay in school and not drop out. Children benefit from more individual attention and sensitivity to their community problems in these after school tuition centers. In many cases, providing education is part of a wider community intervention by the partner group.

Primary Focus: to go to formal school
this project focuses on getting children to attend formal school

Student:Teacher Ratio: 35:1
Boy:Girl Ratio : 1:5

SMILE : Taking Schools to the Doorstep – A Novel Endeavour
Sahyogita Samaj Vikas Santha has been one of the champions in the Smile Family in the endeavour of spreading education among needy children in the unattended areas. Taking a step further, Smile and Sahyogita have gone ahead with the concept of taking schools to those children who have still been beyond reach owing to various socio-cultural customs.

The Project
The project has two components; first being ‘Galli (by-lane) Schools’ – with a purpose of providing literacy and life skills enhancements focusing on those who are not allowed to venture outside their home due to socio-cultural customs. The second component being ‘Non Formal Education Centre (NFE)’ - a focused educational intervention for underprivileged children with the purpose of mainstreaming them in to Formal Schools.

NFE (Non-formal Education) Centre is an on-going project already supported by Smile Foundation. As per the upgraded NFE programme, around 60 children from Nut Colony and Chattarpur Pahari in southern periphery of Delhi will be imparted education through this.

The concept of a Galli school envisages considerable community support in material terms such as volunteering space/ covered one-room accommodation by community, ensuring regularity of children, making some monetary and nutritional food item’s contributions from time to time (as per individual’s capacity).

While working in the communities the need was felt to come up with some innovative programme to reach out to the left-out yet needy children.

This experimentation with Galli Schools came up while working in the communities and the need was felt to introduce some innovative programme to reach out to the left-out yet needy children. The Galli school programme is proposed to be started with 3 Schools in three areas i.e. Nut Colony (Chattarpur Pahari), Ambedkar Colony and Ram Colony of south Delhi. The target area (with a population of 42500) is extremely poor with average family income being Rs.1000 to Rs. 1200 per month.

In total there shall be 9 Galli schools. Each Galli school will cover around 60 children (5-14 years) from two lanes of the community. Children will be imparted Basic learning (subjects/ topics like Alphabets, Arithmetic, Hindi etc.) along with Life Skill Enhancement training on topics like Hygiene and Nutrition etc. Interested children, after completion of course, may be covered either under higher learning or sent to a formal centre run by the organization or mainstreamed to some formal school.

About the Partner
Sahyogita Vikas Sanstha is an example the crusade of a woman, Vijay Laxmi, for upliftment of children of rag pickers parents or those engaged in other petty jobs. These children of varying ages (5 -14 years), belonging to the poorest of families engaged in waste picking, always bearing a filthy appearance with no semblance of basic personal hygienic care or cleanliness. So much so that hardly anyone in the locality liked to mingle with them.

The woman crusader behind the organization herself came from a not-so-well-off background. Come what may, she took upon herself the task of shaping these children for a better tomorrow and bringing them under the mainstream of life, society and development process. Thus Sahyogita Vikas Sanstha was born - with a mission to see a school bag on children's back rather than a garbage collection bag.

The organization though got established and formally registered in August, 2001, started its activities from April, 2001 by starting pre-school/ primary teaching in a small rented 2-room accommodation with only 5 children in the beginning and two teachers on nominal honorarium.

The play school and Non-formal classes are held in the morning for about 4 hours and remedial classes in the afternoon are attended by children who have joined the municipal schools. Till now, the organization has been successful in getting almost half its children admitted into local Municipal Schools, who have also been trained in Music and English language.

Special Focus
Special attention will be taken to ensure nil or minimum drop-out rates. Girl child will remain a focus group in the programme. These will facilitate further empowerment of the children, particularly empowerment of girl child, by introducing quality education and computer education programmes as well as vocational training initiatives in future.

Sharanam Centre
The Sharanam Centre as a safe and secure home for Mumbai's girl street child in September 2000. Based in Mahim (East), house parents Nirmal and Sharda have been successful in creating a family-like atmosphere for 30 girls. Similar to "normal homes" these girls are not only provided proper guidance, schooling, nutritious food and regular medical attention, but they have also been able to participate in numerous activities from computer classes, karate, sports, and even Bharat Natyam classes.

Education is given special importance with daily tuition classes allowing the girls to further excel in their studies. In fact, last year 3 girls were able to rank in the top 4 spots of their class. Through partnerships with Magic Bus, the girls are kept physically fit with weekly sports program and camping trips. By exposing the children to these various activities, they are able to interact with mainstream society raising their self confidence and esteem. This attribute can be seen by their interactions with volunteers, teachers and each other.

In Mumbai, numerous shelters exist for boys with hardly 10% of space and funds being allocated to the girl child. Thus, the Sharanam Centre plays a vital role within the NGO sector. Current residents are between the ages of 4-14 and are orphans, come from single parent homes, have mothers who are sex workers or lived on the street before coming to the Centre. Many had never attended school before joining the Sharanam Centre.

Activities (Volunteer Project)
In order to provide high quality care its residents, the Sharanam Centre realizes the need to properly document experiences, assess its performance and continuously improve its program. Thus it is envisaged that volunteers along with Sharanam Centre's partner NGO Dasra play an active role in setting up systems and processes which will enable efficient and effective performance assessment. This will include:

• Drafting specific roles and responsibilities for the Centre staff
• Determining both quantitative and qualitative metrics to evaluate the Centre's progress
• Documenting past experiences and lessons learned
• Computerizing children's files
• Designing an effective MIS system
• Training staff and residents to input data on a regular basis
• Preparing operations manual which can be used by other girls' shelters

Location of volunteer work
Although preliminary meetings will be held at the Sharanam Centre, most of this work can happen at the volunteers' home or office

Duration
This project will last between 6-9 months depending on the volunteers' time and commitment

Organisational manpower
3-5 volunteers

Non financial and financial help
The Sharanam Centre's success stems from dedicated individuals who are determined to bring hope to the street girl child by facilitating these girls' lives into better environments. However, the root of the organization relies heavily on individual donations and contributions. Continuing support is necessary to ensure that these girls are able to get the love, guidance and education needed for them to become productive members of society. Your generous contribution will help sponsor the food/medical/clothing expenses, shelter, activities and education of these children.

Seva Nilayam
Seva Nilayam runs an orphanage for girl children in Tenkasi, TamilNadu. With Work An Hour funds, a school has been constructed on the Gurukulam Premises, adjoining the current orphanage. Value-based education and vocational training is provided in addition to the school curriculum. It will have classes from III to X (currently III to VII exist and are conducted in the orphanage).

Sai Kripa
The project aims to cater to the educational needs of the children in the surrounding area, and to get CBSE affiliation in order to expand its activities.
The school is serving a very dire need in a community, which has begun to embrace the sincere efforts of the founder and teachers. The students are eager to be at school and the parents can see the bright and smiling faces of their children. The enrolment at the school has increased and the facilities can barely support the existing numbers.
Children receive value based education at their door-step . Since children do not have to travel far to reach school, they are getting enrolled by the age of 4 years itself. This has shown marked improvement in their personality, inter-personal relationships and ability to communicate.

• More than 50% of the school children are girls. The village girls until recently, were resigned to remaining indoors doing household chores, looking after their younger siblings and the like; but today most are at least aware that, like their brothers, they too can attend school, receive education and acquire knowledge.
• This awareness has helped them realise their inner potentials which is amply proven by the fact that the Sai Shiksha Sansthan girls show better results in exams than the boys.
• The women are taking more initiative in sending their daughters to school. Through exposure to the TV, media and interaction with Sai Shiksha Sansthan staff who have taken great pains from time to time in motivating the villagers in trying to create awareness on the importance of education, the villagers, especially the women are more keen that their daughters attend school, having realised what they have missed in life and not wanting the same bleak future / ignorance for their daughters. The men too are gradually realising this and there certainly is an obvious change in their attitudes.
• The villagers, having realised the importance of education today are, on their own initiative, trying to get land from the government, by putting pressure on the local political leaders.

Anand Bharathi
Ananda Bharathi conducts nonformal classes for girls in Tarnaka, a middle-class neighborhood in Secunderabad. Most students are domestic workers and live in a nearby slum. Currently there are 30 students between 5 and 16 years of age.

The goals differ from one student to another--those who have dropped out of school fairly recently are encouraged to give school board exams privately; others acquire basic literacy in English, Telugu and Hindi. The curriculum for all the students includes knowledge about the environment, health and hygiene, and crafts.

About Anand Bharathi
Ananda Bharathi was started in 1989 by Mrs. Janaki Iyer. Currently there around four volunteers-turned-employees. It is a registered society and received FCRA clearance in early 2003.

ASSEFA
Education for the rural children is one of the important programs of ASSEFA. It has been introduced in the remote areas, where there are limited school facilities. In many projects, education is initiated as part of the integrated development program.

Unlike in the other formal education, more value-based education is provided to improve the intellectual, physical, economic and spiritual growth of the child. This not only helps the children to continue higher education but also to respect to live in harmony with their community. Recently, a chapter on practice in peace and non-violence has been added to the curriculum to further improve the value of education.

The education program started with the intention of spreading primary education is now benefiting about 36,000 children through 432 schools of quality at primary, middle, high and higher secondary levels. Besides, the number of pre schools, supplementary, remedial and special school mainly meant for child drop-outs and victims of child labour exploitation are run.

In all the cases preference is given to the girl children. Adult education is also provided, especially to women, to improve their functional literacy levels.

The following figures will give you an idea of the sizes of our various establishments.

Educates 36,000 children through 432 schools, with a focus on the girl child (committees formed in each village with parents and well wishers as members to independently manage an support school); adult education for woman to improve functional literacy levels; industrial training institutes for vocational training for educated youth; Computer education and traditional skill development for girls.

Girl Child Education : Corporate Interventions

Mahindra Girl Child Project - "Nanhi Kali"

Nanhi Kali

It was alongside these activities that in 1996 Mahindra Girl Child Project - Nanhi Kali was initiated. (Mahindra Girl Child project) - a project of K.C. Mahindra Education Trust aims at promoting primary education for the underprivileged girl child both in the rural and urban areas in India.  There are numerous Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Voluntary Agencies that are doing extensive community-based development work, and it is through these development agencies that the Nanhi Kali sponsorship project is extended to the girl child. To make the project more participatory and involving, individual sponsorship is encouraged wherein individual donors 'adopt' the Nanhi Kali's education.

Today, the Nanhi Kali project with an encouraging response from sponsors is supporting the education and general welfare of around 1700 Girl Children through 18 NGOs from all over India.  The Nanhi Kali project in the future hopes to reach out to thousands of such underprivileged girls across India to provide them with opportunities and choices that would give them a fighting chance in life.
 
The Banasthali Vidyapith, a deemed university in Rajasthan, where the Trust has already established the Mahindra Search for Talent Scholarship, has recently started a Management School 'WISDOM" - Women's Institute for Studies In Development-Oriented Management which is being funded by the Company.

In 1996 the KC Mahindra Trust kicked off an ambitious program aimed at helping the underprivileged girl child in India. Christened Nanhi Kali, the project's principal goal is to promote primary education for the underprivileged girl child in both rural and urban parts of the country

The programme is implemented with the help of several non-government organisations (NGOs) and voluntary agencies doing community-based development work.

To make the project more participatory and involving, individual sponsorship is encouraged wherein individual donors adopt a girl child. The Nanhi Kali project, backed by an encouraging response from sponsors, currently supports the education and general welfare of over 1,700 girl children through 18 NGOs

The project hopes to reach out to thousands of such underprivileged girls across India to provide them with opportunities and choices that give them a fighting chance in life.

Nanhi kali is a special project jointly managed by K. C. Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation, aimed at providing education to the underprivileged girl child in India. India has always had a history of discrimination against the girl child. She is considered a liability and an economic burden to the family. Therefore, female children are often neglected forcing them to become victims of exploitation at a very early age. It is only through education that the girl child can arm herself to be independent and self-reliant, and hence have a fighting chance in life.

It is from 1996 that the K.C. Mahindra Education Trust has been trying to undo the ill treatment meted out to the girl for hundreds of years. The Trust's efforts are rooted in the conviction that educating a child is the most effective way of breaking the cycle of poverty. It is with this focus that the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust began the Nanhi Kali project.

Nanhi Kali is a participatory project, where any person (individual or group) can sponsor the education of a girl child by paying a sum of only Rs. 1,800/- (approximately US $50) per annum.

There are numerous Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and Voluntary Agencies that are doing excellent community based work at the grass-root level. After carefully checking their credentials, the Trust has identified 25 such Non-Government Organizations, which are located in various parts of urban and rural India. These organizations ensure that the underprivileged girl child, whether she is from an urban or from a poverty-stricken rural village, attends school for her education. In addition to education being imparted to the child, the Non-Government organization also ensures that the child is provided with textbooks and in some case school bags and uniforms. A number of NGOs also ensure that the child is given a nutritious meal during school hours.

The K. C. Mahindra Education Trust regularly assesses and monitors the NGOs as well as the type of education being imparted. Sponsors receive Progress Reports on their adopted Nanhi Kalis, so that they can track the academic records of their sponsored child.

The Nanhi Kali project has been extremely successful. Currently we have over 12000 children under this project. The Trust aims to increase the number of Nanhi Kalis, and see these underprivileged children blossom into socially responsible and mature adults.

Asahi India Glass : School bus for the Girl Child
Through this programme AIS is running school buses for village girls to go to the nearby schools from their villages and continue their studies. This programme is more relevant in a state like Haryana where there is an alarming male-female ratio. Currently, around 175 children from around 15 villages are using school bus facility. Some of the girls students who had dropped out of school have enrolled again because of the bus.

DCM Sriram
To encourage meritorious and needy students in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, Agriculture and Management, the company has instituted Scholarships at various educational institutions in Rajasthan. The 'primary education programme' for the girl child, which provides for books, school bags and uniform, has yielded good results.

The company has frequently contributed for construction of school building at Gandhidham in Bhuj district of Gujarat; the building got ruined in the Earthquake in January 2001.

Cadbury India

We believe that good values and good business go hand in hand
Nutrition, Education, Security and Love
Cadbury India has a large factory in Malanpur, one of the most under developed districts in Central India. In 1999, we launched the Cadbury Community Initiative Programme under the banner: Nutrition, Education, Security and Love.

In setting up the programme, our local Corporate Affairs Manager, Narender Katoch, initiated a long-term dialogue with local stakeholders to engage them in helping us identify what community support we should be providing.

As a result, we focused on healthcare and education in the nearby village of Gurikha. A nursery school was started and key improvements were made to the primary school. The consultation and a bit of lateral thinking led to some real social improvements: fresh drinking water from a new village pump, a doctor's clinic, vet services for milk producing animals and fruit trees for each household to plant during the rainy season. They also helped increase school attendance levels.

Last year, the education programme supported the Indian Government's Year of Women Empowerment. Special focus was given to the rights and contribution of girls and to the counteraction of female infanticide through a variety of initiatives, including awareness generation and gender sensitization programmes leading to formation of women self help groups.

Glaxo/ GSK
Since 1996, the project also runs a Educational Sponsorship Scheme for 25 needy and deserving girl students from the Koliwada slum community, whereby monetary, material and non-financial support by way of supplementary education classes and personality development camps is provided on a continuous basis. Similarly literacy classes for adult women and events or educational camps for children are being held at Gramin Arogya Vikas Sanstha Rural project of Glaxo India at Nashik.

Star TV : Educating the Girl Child
Radio City initiated the 'Radio Awards for Public Service' on the theme 'Educate the Girl Child' in association with the Amity school of communication. Entries (in the form of 30-second radio jingles) were invited from advertising agencies and the evaluation carried out by a jury of distinguished judges from the corporate, advertising and media industries. The final three nominations were played on air and listeners were asked to vote for the best. The winning entry was aired on Radio City.