Most of high school education in rural areas is rote learning of huge amount of information within the four walls of the classroom from the prescribed text books only.

This education has no hands-on activity component no direct social use no relevance to the students' present, and in most cases, future life.

Very important issues are totally missing in present curriculum:

• Health issues like anemia, diarrhea, worms, scabies, immunization, water sanitation, &

• The 3 tier panchayat (local village govt.) system.

The goal of the Swanirvar Youth Programme, Inspired by Gandhi's vision of education, started in 1997 with 46 youth from 5 villages, has been to encourage high school students to :

• Study the local village social and physical environment, &

• To learn various subjects like history, geography, economics, civics, biology, physical science, mathematics such that skills for collecting, recording, organizing, understanding and communicating are developed.

There have been useful side effects to this program. The socially useful productive work is integrated into various subjects . There has been development of alternate high school curriculum and text books. In addition students gain much appreciated vocational skills

Some essential work related to local government (panchayat) planning get automatically done. High school boys and girls, known as the Kishore Kishori Bahini, have learnt several skills such as keeping temperature charts, conducting surveys and vaccinating animals, which help them to participate in development activities of their villages.

Our youth team is active in producing plays that generate awareness on various social issues in an attractive and comprehensible manner.

News Flash!

November 27, 2005

Ananda Bazar

Patrika

English Translation

(MS Word)

Bengali Op-Ed piece (PDF)

on SHIKSHAMITRA