During my weekend visit to my native place near Harihara, I decided to visit a few schools (including the one that I studied in!) to understand the grassroots level activities of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme in Karnataka.

 

On Friday night the 5^th of January 08, I left for Harihara, which is in Davanagere district to visit the BRP (Block Resource Person) and the BEO (Block Education Officer) of the taluk. I reached Harihara early morning at 5.15 a.m., rested at my native village Nanditavare 12 kms away from Harihara.  

 

Around 8.30 a.m. I made a phone call to the BRP of the taluk, Sri. Govindappa K., to meet him at his office. He asked me to come to his office at 10.00 a.m., and also, informed me that the Joint Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Sri, Ramarao has arrived at Davanagere on a surprise visit, to monitor the KSQAO (Karnataka School Quality Assessment Organisation) programme that is going in Davanagere district. I instantly called the JD (Joint Director for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Government of Karnataka); he asked me to come to the BRP's office at Harihara, meanwhile I also called the BEO Sri Prasanna Kumar and introduced myself to him.

 

As per the scheduled time we all met at the BRP's office at 10.00 am, discussed about various programmes and their progress in the taluka. From there along with two CRPs, Sri Ramarao and myself, travelled to a village called Belludi to visit a school. It was a surprise visit for that school. At the time of our visit, the KSQAO exams were going on. The director entered the classroom of the 5^h std. He found the invigilating teacher not following the KSQAO rules and regulations though he was trained; he had not numbered the seating arrangements and while opening the question paper bundle, the signatures were not done. The Joint Director instantly called the BEO of the taluk and ordered him to issue a show cause notice and take serious action against the teachers.

 

After this he visited the head master’s office and asked for the records of students’ attendance, cash book register, account book; he cross checked all the documents. Though the fund was released for the students to issue notebooks, pencils, and erasers, the Head Master had not issued any of these items to the students; the Joint Director reprimanded him about his carelessness and irresponsibility. He informed the BEO and asked him to monitor this school till the issues were set right. The Joint Director even visited and checked the quality of the walls of the kitchen room constructed for mid-day meals, he found it of good quality but voiced his suspicion about getting it completed within the stipulated budget. We also visited a girl child who was getting home-based education from a volunteer.

 

After these visits, the SSA vehicle moved towards a Primary school at STG Colony, Belludi. The STG colony is constructed by the government of Karnataka for the tribes of Chattisgarh under a re-habitation scheme. Their language holds no document or a script - the reason for a communication gap between the students and the teachers. The Joint Director suggested to the teachers to get some educated person from their own community and teach through him.

 

After completing this visit, we moved towards Honnalli taluk headquarters of Davanagere district. In between, we visited a school at Kumbalore village, where the Joint Director cross-checked the attendance register, had interaction with the students and the teachers. He found the school good in all the aspects. He met the SDMC (School Development Management Committee) president and asked him to construct two more classrooms for the school. We left the school at around 2.50 p.m.

 

·        The quality of the food is good. They happily said that the saambar contains different kinds of vegetables.

·        Stationary and clothes are issued to the students.

·        The bathrooms and the water facility are also good.

 

The only thing that students requested with Joint Director was, to provide them a Television for recreation. I suggested rather than showing television programmes every day, weekly twice show them some children programmes by playing CD ROMs. The suggestion was well received by everyone present there. The head master said that every week the health officer comes and visits the school. There was a separate room for the Nali-Kali programme where different kind of teaching and learning materials were hung and stored for utilisation. The director asked the teacher if they are facing any problems with the teaching material or the aid. The teachers replied that the multiple programme of SSA which are implemented coincides and make them inconvenient.

 

Neighbouring to the BEO office there was another school in the town; we visited that school also. The Joint Director met the 7^th standard children and asked if they have faced any problems with the KSQAO (Karnataka Schools Quality Assessment Organisation) model exams.  After that the head master was asked to show the cash book maintenance record. The JD insisted that the BEO and BRP monitor all the schools more often. We finally called it a day by 6.30 pm and returned back.