EDUCATION
Female literacy is a first step towards helping women in recognizing their potential, gain confidence, pursue opportunities, and escape poverty. Women with low literacy and functional skills are most likely to face marginalization.
In India, millions of girls in rural areas are drop outs or are discontinued from school after primary education. This is primarily due to lack of schooling facilities in accessible locations or due to unfavorable economic, social and culture conditions that jeopardizes opportunities of learning especially for a girl child.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidayalaya (KGBV) is a special residential school program run for girls by Central and state Government to close gender gaps at upper primary schools. The major challenge faced by the teachers at KGBV schools are varied learning abilities of the girls who get admitted the schools.
With this gap, the school is expected to train the girls with either zero schooling/founding years or with 2 to 5 years of schooling.
Apart from this learning gap the challenges and constraints these schools face is also of the resources, both technical and material. The teachers are under constant pressure to perform. As a lending hand CARE India supports KGBV Schools in two fronts (1) training teachers on managing multi grade learners, and providing appropriate teaching tools and methods and (2) improving facilities at KGBV schools with adequate recreational, sports and reading materials.
CARE India also donated cycles to each school, primarily to motivate and encourage girls to learn cycling as majority of girls come from restrictive family thus ensuring they do not drop. This small gesture also value adds an opportunity in their life to learn cycling and do not feel challenged but empowered.
With all support coming in, the teachers of KGBV feel empowered to continue their contribution towards transformative change in the lives of girls, they work hard for.
Recently, after successful completion of their residential learning, the girls said goodbye to both teaching and non-teaching staff. CARE India participated in their Annual Day celebrations and joined hands with the girls in thanking the staff of KGBV schools, who played a pivotal role in their transformed lives.
In appreciation of the teachers’ diligent contribution in reviving the schooling opportunities for the under privileged girls, CARE India utilized the platform of Annual Day celebration to acknowledge the selfless act of the teachers by presenting them with a small token of appreciation.This was further valued as it was handed over by the district education officials, Panchayat presidents and local leaders.
The teaching staff was moved by CARE’s gesture and observed that “rarely our services are recognized and appreciated, we thank CARE to recognize and appreciate our efforts” they also added “we can’t wait for the arrival of next batch girls”.
CARE salutes the spirit of the teachers of KGBV who are immensely contributing towards an empowered future of these girls whose lives are now transformed for a better future.
By,
Devbalan
