State Experiences on School Mapping & Micro Planning

Education for all in india.com SCHOOL MAPPING AND MICRO PLANNING: State Experiences

NIEPA

WORKSHOP ON SCHOOL MAPPING AND MICRO PLANNING

(July 29-30, 1997)
            COPY Right: NIEPA, New Delhi – 110016 (INDIA)

 

 

             State Experiences

 

CONTENTS

 

·        Andhra Pradesh

·        Assam

·        Bihar

·        Gujarat

·        Haryana

·        Himachal Pradesh

·        Karnataka

·        Kerala

·        Maharashtra

·        Orissa

·        Lok Jumbish

·        Tamil Nadu

·        Uttar Pradesh

·        West Bengal

 

THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT

 


 

 

ANDHRA PRADESH

 

            DPEP was introduced in 5 districts of Andhra Pradesh.  Karimnagar, Kurnool, Nellore, Vizianagaram and Warrangal districts were chosen for implementation of DPEP.  To facilitate district planning process, various discussion/meetings were held.  These discussions were initiated at the district level.  Plans were prepared at the Mandal (a unit lower than district level) level.  The planning process involved activities at village, Mandal and district levels.     

 

            The Mandal officers were imparted training to prepare plans.  The Mandal Resource persons were trained in 1995.  They were imparted training in formulating village education plans.  They went to villages and gave training to village resource persons.  They conducted Gram Sabhas and held discussions with Village Education Committees.  A village education profile was prepared.  Further, a village education plan was prepared.  On this basis, a village action plan was prepared.     

 

            Based on the educational needs of villages, village action plans were prepared along with Mandal Action Plans.  The Mandal action plan was compiled at Mandal headquarters.  Based on these lower level plans, a district perspective plan was made.  It is on this basis, that a District Action Plan was prepared.                              

 

 

ASSAM

 

            The District Primary Education Programme started in Assam effectively from the year 1994-95, in three district of Dhubri, Darrang and Morigaon.  A number of activities are going on since then with various degrees of success.  Many of the activities are related to micro-planning and school mapping exercises.  The need for operationalising the micro-planning and school mapping exercise in a planned  and systematic way has been felt for quite sometime now.  With work soon to  commence in the phase II districts, it has become all the more essential, to draw up a strategy and action plan.  There may be certain obvious differences in the approaches for  the Phase I and Phase II districts as the needs are different, considering that the Phase I districts have already completed three years of implementation.

 

            In the meantime, a 4 (four) member team from DPEP, Assam attended a training course at NIEPA, New Delhi, on school mapping and micro planning during February' 97.  Thereafter, a three phase workshop on micro planning was been organised of which two phases are already over, and the last phase which is a field level programme will commence in September 1997.  Resource Persons from  IGNOU and  LBSNAA, Mussoorie, have also been articipating in these workshops.

 

Basic Strategy

           

            It is being thought that micro planning exercises will be initiated in select clusters, in the blocks of both Phase I and Phase II districts.  The scale will be limited initially but it is expected that progressively these will be carried out to cover more areas.  Of course in the Phase I districts the  clusters (group of villages, not necessarily a DPEP cluster) will be selected on the basis of existing data on backwardness in terms of literacy, population pattern, and other parameters, and may be scattered through out the district.  This is to gather a holistic understanding of the ground realities in a participatory way.  On the other hand in the case of Phase II districts presently only one block, will be selected for carrying out the exercises with intensive multi-level interventions in a detailed manner.      As far as the school mapping exercise is concerned, two blocks will be taken up ; namely,  Mayong in Morigaon and Dudhnoi in Goalpara in the Phase I and Phase II respectively. Subsequently more blocks will be taken up in different districts in a phased manner.  It needs to be mentioned here that while understanding the school mapping exercises, information  will be gathered through PRA/PLA techniques wherever feasible, but data and information will also be gathered through other means like using investigators with questionnaires etc.

 

            In each district a District Core Team will be constituted involving persons from different categories (not necessarily from all), viz.  DEEO, DI, BEEO, Programme Officers, BRC Co-ordinators, Social Workers, representatives of NGOs, Women Groups, etc.    Committed persons with communication and training skills, will be selected in each district to form a panel of Master Trainers and Facilitators.   Basic manual and other documents will be developed in the local language(s) to be used as basic reference.  It will be ensured that they will be user friendly, being easily accessible and comprehensible.  NIEPA module will form part of the basic reference material in this regard.

 

            Intensive training in micro planning and school mapping will be imparted in various stages to the panel of Master Trainers.  This will involve hands on tasks, and field work so that there is conceptual clarity.   As mentioned earlier, the District Core Teams will identify the target clusters based on available information, for initiating the exercises in the DPEP Phase I districts, for micro planning.  However, school mapping in conjuction with micro planning, exercises will be carried out in two blocks (Mayong and Dudhnoi) on a pilot basis. 

           


            To make the BEC/BLEC an empowered body, active involvement in the planning and implementation processes as a natural corollary to the micro planning and school mapping orientation of the members will be organised.  Sustainability of the programme and actual translation will depend on a large extent on the successful empowerment of the BEC/BLEC.

           

            All actual field activities will be preceeded by awareness generation programmes and pre-publicity for creating a suitable environment.  Mobilisation of the community will be a key process, carried out with the help of animators, facilitators etc.  Orientation of field level functionaries, animators, VEC members, Women Groups etc.  will be organised.

 

Expected Outcomes (of initial phase)

 

*    A Village Profile Action Plan of target area villages.

*    Completion of school mapping exercise in pilot blocks.

*    Preparation of a Block Master Plan in the pilot blocks. 

*    Development of a pool of Master Trainers at the district and  sub-district levels for

      subsequent extension.

*   Creation of teams of Facilitators and animators who can be  actively associated in the  

     other  programmes.

*   Awareness generation and mobilisation of the community,  across all sections.

 

 

BIHAR

   

            The Bihar Education Project (BEP) is aimed to be an instrument of educational reconstruction.  Its main aim is to attain Universalisation of Elementary Education.  Education is considered a process of social reconstruction.  The BEP acts as a catalyst by mobilising the community to undertake educational activities.  School mapping and micro planning exercises are based on their own understanding of these tools.     

 

            The BEP, is on the threshold mission of DPEP.  The Bihar Education Project started in three districts of Ranchi, Rohtas and West Champaran in 1991-92.  It is the first comprehensive externally funded `Education for All' Project initiated in India.  This was extended to four more districts in 1992-93.  Now, selected districts of Bihar are planned to covered under DPEP.  The DPEP activities will cover 17 districts including the seven districts covered under the BEP.  The preparatory activities of the DPEP are progressing at the state level.     

 

            For involving the community to spread education, an environment has to be created.  Environment building is a process of involving the community by increasing communication.  This is done by ways of wall writing, conducting padayatras, cultural greetings, panchayat meetings etc.  These are ways of environment building.  In this process of environment building, animators or `preraks' are identified.   People who are ready to act as agents of social change are the `Preraks'.  The group of preraks include the disadvantaged sections of society and women.  Women form at least one-third of the Prerak Dal.     

 

            A five-day training programme is conducted for the Preraks for conducting micro planning exercises.  This training programme is not just a lecture session, but is actually a process of rapport building.  After undergoing training, the Preraks go to the villages and start the environment building activities.  They try to convey to the people and Mukhiyas what is the role of education in the process of social reconstruction.      The mobilising groups start the micro planning exercises.  There are 11 stages which have been identified by BEP to complete the micro planning exercises.  This is based on the `PRASOON' module.  The different steps are given below:

 

            1.   Social mapping                                           2.   Resource mapping

            3.   Educational Survey                                     4.   Trend analysis

            5.   Responsibility chart                                     6.   Seasonal Analysis

            7.   Informal discussions                                    8.   Household survey

            9.   Teachers response/school mapping             10.  Analysis of data                

            11.  Preparation of village educational plan

 

            The micro planning exercises are used to form `village education committees' or to strengthen the existing VECs.  VEC's are evolved through the processs of micro planning.  The VEC's are tried to made more vibrant and more active to help in educational reconstruction.               

     

 

GUJARAT

 

            The state of Gujarat was included in the District Primary Education Programme in the second phase of DPEP.  The three districts selected under the DPEP are Dangs, Panchmahal and Banaskanta.  Low levels of female literacy was the critierion for selection of the district.  A workshop-cum-seminar was held at NIEPA for preparation of district plans.  The DPEO of these three districts and state level education officer (planning) were oriented to DPEP activities.  This was followed by a sharing meeting at state, district and block levels.  Block level officers and NGOs and panchayat officials, prominent educationist were invited to these sharing meetings.  Their views on the problems and issues concerning primary education were elicited.  Surveys were undertaken to collect necessary data about these districts.     

 

            Since District Primary Education Programme has been introduced in Gujarat only in the second round, the state is in initial round of planning process.  Capacity building processes are now taking place before the actual planning process takes place.      For this, core groups to prepare district plans were identified.  While preparing draft plans in each of the three districts, help was taken from IIM and M.S. University Baroda.  Proper guidance was given to district planning groups.  State component plan for DPEP was prepared at the state level.  Guidance for revision of plans was given by state authority by conducting a state level sharing meeting.  Accordingly, all plans were revised.

 

            At this stage, a joint team of MHRD officials and Ed.Cil experts visited the state.  Every component of the plan was checked by the team.  They also visited three districts.  Suggestions were made by the team for revising the draft plans.  Taking into account these suggestions district draft plans and state component plans were revised. In December, 1995 a workshop cum seminar was organised by MHRD, NIEPA and NCERT which also helped revise the plans.  A pre-appraisal mission visited for finalising the plans.  Mission also visited three districts.  Various discussions were held with NGOs and functionaries.  A base-line survey was undertaken with the helpe of GCERT and DIET and a socio-economic survey was taken up by Sardar Patel Institute of Economics Research.  The outcomes of these surveys were discussed and were incorporated in the plan.     

 

            Appraisal Mission visited the state for final appraisal of the plans.  The draft plan and component plans were finalised.  Various workshops, seminars and sharing meetings at state, district and village levels, were organised.  Orientation programme as well as activities for environment building were also started in these three districts.  A workshop on visioning and awareness building at state and district level was also organised.  For development of posters and cut outs, various workshops were organised. Various modules for training were developed by GCERT.  Various types of training for DIET  faculty and VEC members are envisaged to be organised.  At present AW plan 97-98 has been prepared

 

 

HARYANA

 

            DPEP is an innovation for the attainment of universalization of primary education.  The programme started in 4 districts in 1995-96.  It is operational in seven districts, out of which four districts namely Hissar, Sirsa, Jind and Kaithal are DPEP (I) districts; Gurgoan, Bhiwani and Mohindergarh were included in DPEP(II) distrcits.

 

            Planning process under DPEP II districts was initiated during 1996-97.  Core planning teams headed by project officers and comprising of four  members each were identified in these districts.  These teams were trained in Decentralized District Planning Process at LBSAA, Mussoorie in June 1996.  They were further oriented in the planning process at the state level.  Meetings of District Advisory Groups headed by ADCs of respective districts were organized in these districts, in which the objectives of DPEP along with DPEP guidelines were thoroughly discussed and debated.  Block Advisory group meetings were held in all the blocks of DPEP II districts. The strategies of the planning process in each block were thoroughly articulated.

 

            Members of district planning teams were asked to organise mass mobilisation for DPEP and organised meetings with district authorities, NGOs and other voluntary organisations engaged in imparting primary education to children.  Monthly meetings of the district planning core teams were regularly held to monitor the progress of DPEP planning process in various districts.  Planning teams also held monthly meetings in their respective districts with the DEOs, DPEOs, SPEOs, BEOs, heads of selected primary schools, eminent educationists, NGOs and other district officers dealing with Human Resource Development.  Core teams held meetings with the community in all the villages of the district.  In their interactions with the community, awareness was created for the enrolment of children in primary schools particularly of the girls and children belonging to weaker communities.  The district planning team prepared an exhaustive proforma for collecting information on infrastructure facilities, enrolment of boys, girls, SC, ST,  OBC, position of teachers and children of 6-11 age group outside the school system.  The data received at the block levels were consolidated;  another proforma was also developed  for VECs members for getting information on the problems and their solutions relating to primary education.  These proformae were got filled in from every VEC in every village in the district.

 

            The problems and their solutions (block-wise) were consolidated at the district level.  Lists of these problems and their solutions were prepared block wise.  These problems were discussed at the DPEP Sammelan organised at CRC and BRC levels.  Educational problems of the village schools were identified and community itself suggested solutions which were discussed, articulated and priori­tized. Micro planning exercises were done in each village. Vil­lage map and  village profiles were prepared. 

 

            School profiles indicating availability of infrastructural facilities and learning material/kits were also prepared for each school.  List of infrastructure needed in each village school was also prepared.  It was a participatory exercise carried out by the core planning teams in each village of all the DPEP districts.  The community actively participated in the preparation of the village profiles and the related micro planning activities.  School teachers also participated in the development of school profiles, survey of school going and out-of-school chil­dren and the mass mobilization programmes.  Finance Studies, Social Assessment Study (SAS) and Baseline Assessment Study (BAS) were also conducted.  SAS was assigned to the Haryana Institute of Public Administration and BAS was assigned to the Management Development Institute (MDI).  The core planning teams were actively issued findings  of these studies.  The findings of the studies were shared among the District Management Groups including core teams.

 

            After ascertaining the existing position of educational facilities in the districts, enrolment of children in these districts,  were  projected for 2001.  Facilities to be provided in schools were discussed keeping in view the local specific problems of each village/block and district.  These proposals were prepared in accordance with DPEP guidelines. 

 

 

HIMACHAL PRADESH

 

            The District Primary Education Programme started in Himachal Pradesh on 1st September, 1996.  The state of Himachal Pradesh is a hilly state.  The norms for opening schools is different in hilly areas when compared to plain regions. Given the geography it  is also difficult to conduct school mapping exercises in this state.

    

            For organising school mapping and micro planning exercises, first a state level workshop was conducted in Shimla.  Later on, similar workshops were held in different districts.  Main work of school mapping and microplanning exercises was done by teachers.  Four villages in one panchayat was assigned to two teachers each.  Proformae were given to each household for collecting information regarding the household.  The main focus was on children not attending school.

    

            Data were collected and tabulated by computers.  Data were collected on number of children in the block, enrolment rates, non-enrolled children, castewise distribution of children in different schools etc. The reasons for children not going to school were also assertained and special attention was paid to the non-enrolment children.  Other data regarding schools were also collected.      On analysing the reasons for children not attending school, it was found that distance was a major factor for non-enrolment of children. After conducting the survey, it was found that about 2000 children were not been attending school due to the distance factor.  A discussion was held with local MLAs.  A list of places were prepared where schools were required.  Of the total number of schools proposed, 50% of them were only opened as there were problems regarding appointment of teachers. A scheme of voluntary teaching was initiated in Himachal.  Enrolment drive weeks were celebrated.  More and more children were enrolled under this scheme.

 

 

KARNATAKA

 

            Micro Planning aims at involving the community in identifying barriers to enrollment and participation in primary education.  It also draws community support to find solutions to overcome these barriers. Micro planning  ensure people’s participation . It also locates village specific educational problems and child learning processes . Micro planning exercises help to understands the sensitive village systems, and prepares people - centered educational Action Plan. This exercise locates the role of VEC in consonance with village specific educational problems,. Micro planning helps to fix up the responsibilities by concretising the role of VEC. These VECs monitors the educational system of the village and contributes to the progress of enrollment and retention.

 

              The whole process of micro planning not only enlightens the Resource Persons but also the villagers. These exercises epitomizes the village specific educational  problems and Initiate Action Plan. They help in identifying the mechanism for effective implementation with people’s participation. While organizing the training, 2-3 micro planning processes are actually started in the selected villages. It provides scope for practical experience and exposure to the techniques of micro planning and documents the whole process of micro planning.  It prepares a village education register.

 

            The training design invariably incorporates people’s participation. This training aims at bringing about an attitudinal change among the resource persons to elicit people’s participation. It helps to identify the specific areas in primary education and elicits people’s participation in primary education. It is field-based and incorporates the feedback from the people. It elicits the field experiences of the resource persons. It also builds up learning environment both for the people and the resource person and consolidates the learning experiences.

 

            In Karnataka, micro planning was conducted in  10-12 villages - Alambadi in Kolar, TS Chatra and Balghatta in Mandya, Baichapura in Bangalore, Hemnur in Raichur and Jodakurali in Belgaum districts.         To begin with, social and resource mapping,  seasonal analysis and responsibility exercises were undertaken.  A house to house survey for  child by child design of participation in education was conducted and  Village Education Registerwas developed.

 

            Six resource persons went to TS Chatra - some had worked in the total literacy campaign, one was with an NGO and some others were  BRC trainers.  The Deputy Project Coordinator and the Block Education Officer accompanied them.  Other VEC members and elders from the village welcomed them to the village.  First, they gathered the school children and went around the village shouting slogans and singing songs.  Women and other children curiously peeped out of their houses to watch.

 

            They organized a meeting in which VEC members and others participated. They explained why they had come to the village and asked villagers to identify an appropriate place to draw the village map.  They choose the school playground where within half an hour many people joined - mostly members of the local youth association. Villagers were  then asked  to draw their village map.  After initial hesitation and some encouragement the men got started - the women watched. The temple, school, ration shop, cooperative milk center and handpumps were plotted on the ground.  They then moved on to drawing the main lanes and houses.

 

            This went on for three full hours.  The map was completed, it was transferred on to a chart.  By the end of it, along with a feeling of satisfaction for successfully drawing the village map, there was a visible sense of dismay since large number of children were unable to regularly attend school.  While this was going on, two resource persons went to the school where 56 children had been enrolled.  There were two teachers.  Around 35 children were present.  Then followed an interesting hour with the children in various activities. 

 

            A house to house survey was also conducted with the help of the village youth.  Resource persons went through the survey formats to document information about each child in every family.  The village survey attempted to provide answers to the following categories of questions:

 

‘Has she/he ever attended school ?’ ‘When did she/he stop going to school ?’ ‘How regularly was she/he able to attend schools ?’ ‘What kind of work was she/he involved in outside school ?’ ‘Did school have to interrupted because she/he was required to perform domestic work ?’ ‘Did she/he have time to play or watch TV ?’

            The whole process entailed not merely data collection, but discussions with members of the family, particularly women and the children themselves.  Since there were 283 houses, the people in the village suggested to set up two teams - each team comprised four persons with at least one woman.  Using the social map each team was designated specific areas in the village.  Each resource person  accompanied a team to a couple of houses to share the experience and were  careful not to be too obtrusive.  The work was relatively easy for the local teams who knew the people in the households and understood the circumstances in which they lived. 

            A variety of symbols and colors were used to plot this on a local calendar.  The seasonal map confirmed that both - school going and non enrolled children were involved in agricultural activities. Sugarcane cutting during January and March coincides with terminal examinations. Children were generally free from agricultural work in April and May which coincided with the school vacations. During peak agricultural season, all the members of the family are busy.  School attendance is naturally erratic during these months. Carrying food for elders in the fields was a daily responsibility of boys.  Girls assisted in family chores along with helping in agricultural operations.

 

            On the last evening of  the  stay in the village a Gram Sabha was held.  There was a festive atmosphere. The evening began with community songs and dances.  Then the results of the social, resource, seasonal analyses and the survey  were presented to them.  The Gram Panchayat Adhyaksha along with the other panchayat and VEC members pledged to take responsibility for all children to attend schools.  They also talked about supporting a non-formal education center for children who could not attend school regularly.  The meeting ended with promises and pledges.    

 

 

KERALA

 

            DPEP, Kerala aims to universalise primary education by the year 2000 A.D.   Three districts namely Idukki, Palakkad and Thiruvanthapuram were included under Phase II of DPEP.  Kerala is the most literate state in India, Yet, Universal Elementary Education is still unattained due to various social, economic and political reasons.

 

            To create awareness among the general public at the micro level and also to study the educational status of children in the age group of 0-14 years in DPEP-I  districts, a house to house survey was conducted.  This survey also served to identify areas where new schools can be started.  In the survey, one of the crucial reasons quoted by the public for enrolment and drop-out, was non-accessibility of schools.

 

House to House Survey

 

            This survey was conducted in each of the DPEP districts of the Phase II (3 districts).  For this, special forms were made use of.  The main objectives of this survey were :

 

(i)         to find out the non-enrolled children of the targeted  group (5-10);

(ii)        to find out the dropout children from class I - IV;

(iii)       to get the picture of the educational facility of each family for schooling (distance);  and

(iv)       to know the number of families who do not have the schooling facility within a    walking distance of < 1 k.m.

 

            This survey was done with the help of teachers of each district.  Teachers were given training at block level.  Then with the help of the prescribed proforma the teachers conducted the study.  For this 15-22 days were taken.  The analysis part was done by the Future Study Unit, uni­versity of Kerala.

 

School Data Base

 

            Using special proforma school data were collected from each school.  The main objectives were to know about the details regarding each school such as number of students, number and size of class rooms, details of furniture, equipments, learning aids etc.

            Besides these studies, 3 more studies were conducted.  They were :

 

            (i)   Gender study;

            (ii)  Tribal study; and

            (iii) Financial study.

 

            All these studies were conducted at state-level and once the studies were completed, the relevent findings were reported to each districts.

 

Micro Planning using Visualisation in Participatory Process

 

            Apart from the major objective of improving quality of primary education, DPEP aims to ensure that all the beneficiaries and stake holders of the programme are directly involved in developmental activities.  With this in mind, a method called Visualisation in Participatory Process is being utilised with the general objectives of :

 

1.      making people understand various steps in facilitating planning process;

2.      involving PTAs/NGOs/GOs in all planning process;

3.      creating awareness about DPEP; and

4.      operationalising the planning process at micro level.

 

            VIPP method, unlike other training method , believes in the participants’ capability to develop and improve themselves.  It combines techniques of visualisation with methods of interactive learning.  Group games, role plays etc.  are used to convey ideas, seek solutions and prioritise problems, solutions and strategies.  This helps participants to know more about their capacities, strengths and weaknesses, encourage them to seek more knowledge.

 

            VIPP method was introduced in DPEP Kerala through two rounds of training at the State level by VIPP experts from UNICEF, Chennai and Mumbai.  These sessions attended by the DIET faculty members included ‘mock’  District and Panchayath level sessions and provided practice to participants to skillfully conduct the sessions, later, at district, block and Panchayath levels.

 

            As part of  planning process for DPEP - II, VIPP sessions were initially conducted at the district level in which district level functionaries of Jilla Panchayath, MLAs, MPs, district level officers and Block-Panchayath Presidents participated.  Subsequently, similar VIPP sessions were conducted at Block level and Panchayath level to evolve a list of possible strategies to be adopted for addressing the various issues related to primary education in the district.  A final decision on the strategies to be adopted was agreed upon by the district level groups at the second round of VIPP sessions.  Thus the final list of project interventions were decided by an entirely democratic process of identification of problems and causes at Panchayath, Block and District levels.  The process that was followed is illustrated in the flow chart.

 

 

 

Text Box: Session  at  District Level  District Level Functionaries MLAs & MPs
Text Box: Listing of Problems
 

 

 


                       

Text Box: Identification of Most Crucial Problems
 

                                                                         Modify and     

                                                                         Restrategise

Text Box: Session   at   Block   Level   Block  Level Functionaries 
Text Box: Prioritisation

 

 

 

 


Text Box: Identification of Causes
 

                                                                        Modify and

                                                                        Restrategise

Text Box: Session  at  Panchayat Level  Panchayat  Level Functionaries VEC, PTA, MTA 
Text Box: Strategy Formulation

 

 

 

 


           

            DPEP, Kerala in an effort to involve even more people at the grassroots level in its project, made a  conscious decision to use participatory methodologies in the training of officials.  Thus, a state level training of trainers workshop for DPEP officials was held at Mithranikethan, Trivandrum.  The objectives of the workshop were to orient and familiarise participants on the “Participatory  Planning Process” and to understand how to prioritise problems and evolve strategies.  The workshop was conducted using participatory training techniques and maintained active participation of the group.

 

            Before going into the VIPP sessions, the objectives and guidelines of DPEP were explained to the participants by the State Project Director.  Clarifications about the  Government of India and World Bank procedures were made. 

 

            Role play was utilised when the three groups are asked to introduce DPEP to people at the Village, Block and District levels.  The groups brought out the difficulty in introducing the programme, the scepticism of teachers, mothers, officials and chaos that reigns in all such meetings. 

 

Village Level Planning

 

            The participants had by now learned the techniques used in VIPP.  Now the groups were asked to plan for implementing DPEP at the village level.  The groups were reorganised and were given the name, CRICKET, KATHAKALI and DRUNK.  In this session, the participants were given a free hand in making all choices themselves as how to distribute them, how many problems to identify, who will make the presentation etc.  The initial listing brought out a lot of village specific issues.  Later, through role play, a demonstration of how village level planning should take place was done with four teachers, headmistress, parents, youths and panchayath members of the village. 

 

            Thus each and every participant, after the three day workshop was equipped with skills for prioritising problems, identification of causes and development of strategies.  Further, they clearly understood the usefulness of using participatory methodologies while planning project interventions for DPEP, Kerala.

 

 

MAHARASHTRA

 

            The planning process under DPEP was initiated in 1993 in the state of Maharashtra for universalisation of elementary education.  In this year, plan of action covering source areas were prepared.  The year 1994-95 was devoted to preparing base line surveys identifying school facilities, locating new plans for `Balwadies’ and introduction of awareness programmes.  Schemes like parental education, training of members of village education committees were also introduced.  The actual implementation of the programme started in the year 1994-95.

 

            A serious effort in decentralized planning of education under DPEP focuses on planning from grassroots level by ensuring local participation.  The involvement of local bodies and community at large is very important for initiating and  implementing school mapping and microplanning exercises as it strengthens the local capacity-building.  Micro planning and school mapping are useful planning techniques/tools to develop such area specific plans.  In Maharashtra, two workshops were held on microlevel educational planning.  The first one was conducted from 27-29 September, 1995 at SCERT, Pune for DPEP-I and the second one was held from 27 to 31 December, 1996 at Aurangabad for DPEP-II. 

 

        The main objectives of the training programmes were to acquaint the participants with decentralised and area specific planning; to introduce the participants to the concept and approaches to school  mapping and micro planning;  to train them in school mapping and micro planning activities; and to equip them with the techniques of micro planning and school mapping exercises.

 

            The participants of the programme were mainly DIET and SCERT faculty members, supervisors, training incharge, Block Education Officers and the district resource personnel.  The resource persons of the programme consisted  mainly of faculty members of NIEPA, Lok Jumbish and SCERT.

 

Methodology

 

            The training methodology consisted of classroom lectures and discussions followed by groupwork and practical exercises.  A major share of time was spent on practical exercises and groupwork.

 

Outcome

 

            The participants understood the concept and importance of micro planning. They were acquainted with various aspects of the planning such as objectives, physical targets, financial targets, time limit, importance of community participation.  An interest was created amongst them regarding these issues.  Also, prioritization of needs and effectiveness of different schemes were discussed.  The other aspects like monitoring and evaluation remained the important aspects of the process.  The workshop was participatory and the experts from Lok Jumbish shared their valuable experiences in microplanning.  The participants saw a number of video documents, depicting the actual process conducted in a village in Rajasthan.

 

            As a follow up of this training, participants were asked to conduct the microplanning exercises on a sample basis, to get the direct feel of community perception.  As part of the training, field work was included in the training progarmme. Visits to villages were made and 6 villages of a block in Aurangabad were visited.  There was a discussion ith regarding the village map.

 

            As a follow up workshop, school mapping exercises were conducted on a  sample basis.  This was done in the DPEP(I) districts of  Aurangabad, Parbhani, Nanded, Latur and in some villages of Jalna, Beed, Dhula and Gadchiroli.              A house to house survey was conducted.  There was a project proposal for having enrolment registers.  Meetings were held at village level.  Meetings were held with Village Education Committee and Taluka Advisory Committees.  At the district level, meetings were also held with executive and advisory committees.

 

            All these activities were helpful in creating a suitable atmosphere for future activities.  Thus, school mapping exercises conducted on a sample basis proved to be successful in environment building activities.