Attendees : Gaurav, Susheel, Sanjeev, Murali, Santhosh, Vinod, Aravind
and Ashwini.
 
1. Asha India conference:
 
* Volunteers from Asha UP, including ASS need support for travel.
* The conference helps in networking and setting an overall direction
for our efforts.
* MIT and DC may also pitch in with their contributions.
* Since it will be helpful for our projects, there is a proposal to
support the travel expenses from Asha Austin's admin funds.
 
Vote : We approve the support of the conference travel expenses upto a
limit of $500 from the admin funds.
 
Action item: Request for resource material requirements assessment - Sanjeev.
 
2. Gramin Shiksha Kendra: updates.
 
* Student parliament project will be implemented soon in school
 - There are other 'Bal panchayats' implemented in other projects.
 e.g. Bal ashram - to free children from bonded labour - kailash satyarthi.
 Action item - Vinod to send more information.
* 10th Std is when the children join the formal stream.
* Alternate education is NOT in addition to formal - its a different
method of teaching.
* Approach to teaching is to impart skills to children.
* No grades. Only activities. They need to be completed and are not graded.
Action item - Murali needs to ask how the progress of the kid is
assessed in group activities.
* Low student-teacher ratio (more attention to children) in
alternative edu schools.
* Government is positively experimenting with alternative education methods-
 - activity based learning etc.
* CABE report to be uploaded.
* Save The Children to take up the community outreach program.
* The updated budget is 7.5 lakh rupees (Asha has sent $6K)
Action item - Gaurav to send India address to murali for hard copy of
syllabus etc.
 
3. Marathon
 
* We won't be doing any movies till january.
* Will follow up with omkara for karthik & dinesh's fundraiser.
* RSVP to gloria on dinner.
* One marathi and one kannada movie when we start again.