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The Kasturba Gandhi Baalika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in Sirohi, Rajasthan. An Evaluation study Vinod K. Sharma, Dharmendra K. Sharma Falguni Sarangi. Abbreviations used. ADPC : Additional District Project Coordinator. BRC : Block Resource Centre.
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The Kasturba Gandhi Baalika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in Sirohi, Rajasthan. An Evaluation study Vinod K. Sharma, Dharmendra K. Sharma Falguni Sarangi
Abbreviations used ADPC : Additional District Project Coordinator. BRC : Block Resource Centre. BEEO : Block Elementary Education Officer. CRC : Cluster Resource Center. CRCF : Cluster Resource Center Facilitator. DIET : District Institute of Education and Training. DISE : District Information system for Education. DPC : District Project Coordinator. DEEO : District Elementary Education Officer. EBB : Educationally Backward Blocks. GoI : Government of India. KGBV : Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. MHRD : Ministry of Human Resource Development. NA : Not Available HT : Head Teacher SC : Scheduled Castes ST : Scheduled Tribes SSA : SarvaShikshaAbhiyan
Abstract • This paper is an outcome of an evaluation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, (KGBV) in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan. The KGBV scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The scheme is 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. All the five blocks of Sirohi district of Rajasthan falls under this category, hence the KGBV scheme was initiated here in 2006. • In the year 2010-11, a need was felt by the district education department to understand the implementation of the KGBVs scheme in Sirohi. The District Educational Research Forum, a department of District Institute of Education and Training, Sirohi and Azim Premji Foundation conducted an evaluation study of KGBVs on four defined objectives of Enrollment and Retention, Physical infrastructure, Learning quality & academic monitoring and supervision. • The Sample design included all 5 KGBV schools, 50 children, 21 teachers, 5 wardens, 5 BEEOs and 5 district level functionaries. The methodology adopted revolved around classroom observations, structured interviews , secondary data analysis like study of learning outcomes, enrollment and retention records across three years of 2008 -09 to 2010-11 . • The findings of the study present interesting patterns on the issues of enrollment and retention which increased initially with a gradual drop over the years. It has distinct linkage with our findings on the poor physical infrastructure and inadequate academic environment. The aspect of monitoring and supervision by senior government officials were found to be very few. • One important finding of the study is that a KGBV was consistent and reasonably good in all the defined objectives of the study. It highlights a point that success in school quality is an outcome of several efforts coming together.
Sex Ratio- Sirohi Source : Census data
Transition TRANSITION RATE OF STUDENTS FROM V TO VI STANDARD WAS HIGHEST IN SIROHI IN 2005-06 (107%). IT WAS LOWEST IN 2008-09 (87%), WHICH HOWEVER SHOWED AN INCREASING TREND IN 2011 (98%).
Transition GENDER WISE TRANSITION OF STUDENTS HAS SEEN A DECLINE FROM 06-07 (97%)TO 08-09 (78%). However in 2009-10 the transition of girls from V to VI grade rose to 96% . Was there some policy initiatives undertaken that transition rate has shown more than 15% increase?
Rationale of the study The KGBV scheme was running in all identified Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) of Sirohi 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 were 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 So an evaluation study was done to understand the progress on the desired outcomes on Enrolment, Retention, Infrastructure, Quality and Educational support systems.
Review of related literature References: • KGBV Scheme • Guidelines for Implementation of KGBV Scheme • Status of KGBV in SC Blocks upto 15th July, 2009 • Status of KGBV in ST Blocks upto 15th July 2009 • OVERALL PROGRESS OF KGBV AS ON 15th July, 2009 • National Evaluation Final Report of KGBV Available in http://ssa.nic.in/page_portletlinks?foldername=girls-education Statistics : • Census literature and provisional releases, 1991, 2001 and 2011. • DISE data, MHRD GoI 2005 to 2011. • Annual Work Plan and Budget, SSA Sirohi 2008-2011.
Hypothesis and Objectives The successful implementation of KGBVs will have favourable outcomes in the challenges and issues of enrolment, retention, physical infrastructure, learning quality and environment for the education of girls. It will have significant impact on minimising drop-outs and decrease Gender gap. Research Objectives • To understand the patterns, issues and challenges of Enrolment and Retention. • To find out the availability and quality of physical infrastructure as per KGBV guidelines. • To find out the quality of learning – access, achievement and environment. • To know the nature and quality of education monitoring and supervision of KGBVs by educational functionaries and SMCs.
Findings – Enrolment, Retention and Dropouts • The scheme has been able to create access to schooling facilities among the most disadvantaged. Though there is a mix of different age-groups of the girls enrolled, most of the schools have more of the older girls who are dropouts. • The organic/inherent link between SSA and KGBV in reaching out of school girls requires a systematic approach to the identification and selection of girls for enrolment in the KGBVs. The extent to which this link has been realized and operationalized in enrolling the girls has been examined and it was found to vary from school to school. • The team was informed that the target population of KGBV is identified from the larger pool of the out-of-school children identified under SSA. However surprisingly neither the KGBVs nor the CRCs could tell us the number of out-of-school children currently in the block. • Several reasons were attributed for drop outs – marriage, illness, non adjustment to the KGBV regimen etc. Health also seems to be a major issue for dropping out in many KGBV (malaria, scabies, anaemia, tuberculosis, sickle cell anaemia, meningitis). In some schools among tribal populations and where families migrate for economic opportunities, migration seems to be a big issue.
Findings – Learning Quality % of Girls who completed class 8 Board exams.
Findings – Learning Quality • Many of the girls have in the past been out of school or have dropped out of the schooling cycle at some stage. Across the board they come from families and from villages which are educationally disadvantaged. It is therefore to be expected that such girls are likely to be lagging behind academically. • The learning needs of such children merit greater understanding including sensitivity to their background. It is essential to work out what methods and materials to use to accelerate learning, how to enable children to reach grade level knowledge and skills. • In many cases, where Model 3 is being followed it was found that the learning related issues were similar to that of the formal school system. In particular, the entry level of learning is not taken as a point of departure or as the baseline for planning their academic growth. • The entire process of enabling girls to reach class 8 needs to be thought through. How to enable girls to learn at their own pace? How to help them accelerate but not rush them to take examinations? - are the challenges. • Language is a serious issue where the tribal girls continue to face learning difficulties as the textbooks are in the state language. Even the teachers are young urban women who have little idea of tribal culture.
Findings – Parents/community responses • An overwhelming feedback was that the parents and the community have welcomed the KGBV. The fact that the KGBV is “completely free” is a major attraction. We did not come across any complaints about security. • Another unanimous feedback was that parents want KGBVs to be extended to class 10.They vociferously echoed this as a priority in all the schools visited. • Parents felt that they girls were happy being in the KGBV. The girls also said that they enjoyed being in KGBV and that they had learnt a lot about hygiene and community living. Simple pleasures like having water to take a bath every day or using scented soap, oil and shampoo mean a lot to the children. • In almost all the KGBVs the real guardians are the cooks, helpers and in some the warden/ part-time teachers. Lack of transport facilities and telephone connections is an area of concern – especially with respect to emergency health care and other crisis situations.
Conclusions/way forward • There is a need to strengthen the KGBV curriculum to value diversity and difference – especially because it is engaging with children coming from different communities with very rich traditions and cultural practices. It would be worthwhile to help these girls to value their cultural contexts and retain the diversity within a homogenized “mainstream” education system. • This issue could also be managed if parents are encouraged to contribute something – by way of time, teaching folk songs, provide whatever they can to the school– so that the KGBV can build closer linkages with the community. • There is a need to reflect on how the KGBVs fit into the larger scheme of upper primary schools in the country and how they align with the larger strategy for reaching out to out of school girls. While this issue has been resolved at the policy level by making KGBV a sub-component of SSA from April 2007, the question that begs an answer is whether there is any mechanism to find out where the most difficult pockets are in the country are reached and whether the most needy in each EEB block is reached. • The target group definition needs to be more dynamic, changing with the context and emerging issues with respect to girls’ education and also targeting requires constant vigilance if we want to ensure that we are not caught in the quagmire of reaching out to the low hanging fruits when it comes to enrolment in KGBVs.
