Asha Delhi 10% Project

1. Asha Delhi 10% Project 2007-08 Execution Debrief Asha Delhi: Ritika Arora / Uday Gosain 07-Jun-2008, Updated: 24-Jun-07

2. Agenda…. • Objectives of the program • Project details • Project execution methodology • Awareness • Advocacy to the government • Document Collection • Networking • Monitoring • Research and verification • Focus 2007-08

3. Objectives of the Programme • The project aims at: • Creating awareness amongst the common people about their rights. • Making the government authorities more accountable and transparent. • Ensuring good quality of education for every child by invoking right to education. • Conducting research on how the fund is being utilized in government run schools. • Motivating the marginalized section of the society to minimize their dependency and   create sustainable systems • Forming community based groups.

4. Project Details • The project kick started on the following grounds: • Government allotted land at subsidized rates to 397 schools • There was a 25% quota (now revised to 10%) set for children from economically backward section of the society • The objective was to provide free and fair education. • In July 2005 Delhi Govt. published the guidelines to admission of these children in many newspapers. • Therefore the “Parivartan/Pardarshita” group realized that this was the right time and opportunity for the poor to provide free and good quality education to their children in public schools. • The project initially (2005 to 2007) covered 3 districts in Delhi - namely, east, north-east and south. Last year, the scope of the project was enhanced to include the west, south-west districts of Delhi.

5. Project Execution Methodology • Learning from earlier years, project execution methodology was devised to structure execution: • Awareness • Research • Verification • Document Collection • Networking • Advocacy to the government • Admission Process • Monitoring • A better way to manage the finances and the project it self was to be put in place Next few slides provide an update on efforts on the above aspects and the results achieved…..

6. Awareness • Measures adopted to spread awareness amongst the parents in 2007-08: • Distributing pamphlets • Organizing camps in collaboration with the Delhi govt at many DC complexes • Introducing helpline numbers • Posters at various locations • HELPINE numbers – 011-20033988, 9910349898, 9868529459. • Awareness about regulations and assistance in admission was provided through these helplines. These numbers were published in newspapers like Navbharat Times, Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar • Awareness of the Act’s provision amongst School authorities The helpline number has been a huge success with over 1,000 calls received from all over Delhi for admission enquiries.

7. Advocacy to the government • Problems faced by parents during admissions: • Disallowed entry into school • Refusal of application forms • Demand of unnecessary documents for admission • Misguiding parents in terms of the documents required for admission • Non-acceptance of application forms issued earlier • Steps taken to combat the above problems: • Several complaints were filed with the Deputy Director of Education, the Director of Education and Secretary of education • This was followed up by presenting the data of these complaints in the high court. • Outcomes of our efforts: • More than 500 complaints were filed against 54 schools • Ruling of the court indicated that the officers in charge were not performing their duties as required • There was mass media coverage and eventually the problems came into notice of the chief information commissioner • While contempt of notice has not yet been issued, investigation of the admission procedure of these 54 schools is well under way

8. Document Collection • Documents required • Income certificate • birth certificate • resident proofs • ration cards • Efforts made at our end: • Assistance provided to parents in collection of documents. • Other misguided parents were provided assistance in gathering relevant documents required for admission • In cases where any of the document was missing, parents were helped in getting them made by the guiding them • Example: 100 cases handled in the east district, 80 in north-east district and over 80 more in the south-west district, for getting income certificate made.

9. Networking • We organised a meeting in collaboration with Nehru memorial Museum and Library at Teen Murti. Many NGOs were invited for the meeting to discuss on the current policy of the Delhi govt on access of economically weaker families to public schools. • This meeting was also attended by Mr Wajahad Habibullah (Chief Information Commissioner), Mrs. Shanta Sinha (Chairperson, Protection of Child Rights Commission) and Mrs. Mridula Mukherjee (Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library) Mr. Shekhar Singh (former convener of NCPRI). • As a result of this meeting, we got the opportunity to form networks with other NGOs like YMCA, ISST, Prabhatara, Amba Foundation, and Satarak Nagrik Sangathan.

10. Monitoring • The monitoring process includes: • Preparation of a project coordination workbook, specifying the demographics of admitted students; year on year. • Currently, the process is being regularized by visiting camps and updation of the coordination workbook. • Three camps, Rajiv camp, Nehru camp and New Seemapuri, have been visited so far • Process involves interviewing parents on their child’s academic performance and areas and levels of improvement in the child’s performance since admission • Brief assessment of student’s report cards, wherever available • Inquiring about problems and discrimination, if any, faced by parents with respect to the school authorities and provide suggestions to tackle any issues faced. • Our overall findings from these visits have been satisfying: • There are no particular complaints lodged • Parents have not witnessed any discrimination by the school authorities • The children are treated with equality and given appropriate attention • Children’s performance has been consistent. Some troubled cases are essentially the students who are weak / slow learners. • We are also looking at compiling students marks in the workbook and keep adding to it as they go through the school years.

11. Research & Verification • Efforts are being made to streamline the research and verification process. • For any research or verification, it is necessary to have access to the relevant information. • We have filed an application under the RTI Act and are waiting for approval for the access to data to start the verification process.

12. Project & Finances Improvement • Project Coordination Workbook (PCB) maintained • Financial WorkBook maintained • Regular Updates on emails • Website kept updated • Voucher’s Guidelines published and strict adherence to guidelines enforced

13. Focus 2007- 08… • The number of students who gained admission was substantially higher in this year • Over 350 students were admitted in the last academic year, which is a significant increase of 790% since academic year 2005-06 • Numbers largely attributed to efforts made towards spreading awareness. • Significant inter-community interaction and influence of parents whose children were successfully admitted in preceding years helped, also made a huge difference. • Apart from the admissions detailed above, Pardarshita discovered that many parents were interested in getting children admitted into MCD schools: • The admission process was initiated during 2007-08 • Parents were mobilized and motivated to admit children in MCD schools • So far, 150 admissions have been successfully done for the academic year 2008-09.

14. Focus 2007- 08 (MCD Schools) • Apart from the admissions in Private Schools, Pardarshita discovered that many parents were interested in getting children admitted into MCD schools: • The admission process was initiated during 2007-08 • Parents were mobilized and motivated to admit children in MCD schools • So far, 150 admissions have been successfully done for the academic year 2008-09 • Steps initiated for seeing condition of MCD Schools • 3 schools identified. • Primary • XXX • XXX • Visited school, etc XXX

15. Focus 2007- 08 (MCD Schools)…contd • Report prepared and sent to various people • Report Highlights: • Existing toilets for students are permanently locked. Students forced to relieve themselves in class rooms. • Staff has permanently sealed the room with provision of drinking water; due to the fear of taps being stolen. Students forced to go home to satisfy their quench. • Indulgence by miscreants in illegal activities such as gambling, drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse etc. • Naked wires protruding through the walls of the new building. • Meeting with Director Education MCD on RTI Applications filed

16. Problems Faced in Execution & Resolution • Vouchers not filed in time by project supervisors. • Ineffective people brought on board • Vouchers Management was not properly understood. Repetitive changes and sending vouchers to Vallabh-bhai • Prepared Guidelines to with vallabh-bhai and distributed to all • Project Coordinator change Management not smooth • Uday is now the Single POC of the project • The Honourarium cheques from Kaithi were taking time to arrive as vouchers were not proper • Rohini’s account is being used as an Impressed A/c for compensation • With Rohini now taking a break from Asha Delhi’s activities, Uday’s Current account ICICI Bank, Noida: 0031 05 004878 is being used as imprest account • Money Transfer from Asha Seattle. Cheque takes 6 weeks to arrive. Tried Wire Transfer, which got stuck • Plan to get FCRA prior permission for Pardarshita/Any other partner org • Money finally reach Kaithi on 26-May-2008, exactly one month after it was transferred.