Site visit report of Bhoomiheen Seva Samiti, Banda, U.P.by Mahesh

Preface
Bhumiheen Seva Samiti has been active with its education programme in Atarra Tehsil in a village named Aau, few kilometres away from the Banda district, among the backward classes for the last 23 years.

Detailed description of the Programme
The Samiti runs two schools, one for Primary education and another for Secondary education little away from the village. The Primary school has classes 1-4 which has 162 children. Girls comprise of 25% of the strength. The school has 10 bighas of  land and the school building has 5 rooms and a hall.The number of teachers is four. The Secondary school has 132 children of which 20% are girls. There are 5 teachers and a Headmaster out of which two are availing their salaries from the U.P. Govt. It has 5 acres of land .The fee taken from the students is numerically equal to the  class in which they are studying. Eighty percent of the students at  the school come from backward classes. The members of the Samiti try to bring the maximum students from the families which cannot afford to send their children to other schools. Extra classes are held at night to tutor the students of  the eighth class. Some students stay at the school only. The girls are trained in stitching for two days in a week. The Samiti has 3 computers and a printer which are utilised for teaching arithmetic and typing to the students of classes 6-8.

Comments
Bhoomiheen Seva Samiti aims at bringing about a social restructuring  by  providing education to the needy and the deprived children and enabling them to lead a respectful life. I visited the village and talked to the students who had received education at  these two schools and was delighted to find that the students here performed better than those from the Govt. schools. The villagers are also obliged to the two schools which have made at least the basic education available to their wards. But I found that the parents are unable to send their children for the costly higher education and the children finally get restricted to lead the same life. In certain areas, these educated students have to face humiliation at the hands of the feudal class and the life becomes worse. The Samiti feels that we should also heed to this problem and take some steps to equip these children to utilise their education and lead a happy and prosperous life. The computers and the printer available with them are sufficient. The costs quoted by them is based on information from other sources and they have not taken the pains to verify them. I am presenting below the modified budget. Mr. Lalit Uniyal said I could use my discretion in making any changes in the budget. He however did not want to change the salary component. But we feel that the salaries he proposes to give, though are equivalent to the govt. rates, are a bit too high compared to what teachers get in other non-govt. schools.

Cost in Rupees

1. Enhancement of Existing Infrastructure Facilities
   1. For Primary Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (Non-Formal & Innovative School, Classes 1 to 5)
      

      Equipment for Play [Swing, Slide, Jungle Gymnasium, and See-saw (1 each); and bicycles and tricycles]	18,700
      Library	24,500
      Musical Instruments (3 Harmoniums & 3 tablas)	0.0
      Furniture	21,500
      Medical & 1st Aid Equipment	19,889
      Science Club Equipment	21,000
      Total	1,05,589

      (See Annexure P1 for more details)
      
   2. For Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (Innovative School, classes 6 to 8)
      

      Skill-Development Activities (Equipment)	20,000
      Skill-Development Activities (Raw Materials)	13,000
      Agricultural Equipment & Farm Improvement	1,46,500
      Beds for Hostel 20 nos. @ 1,000	20,000
      Library (Books & Magazines)	75,000
      Enhancement of Computer Facilities:
      Upgrading of Computers	0.0
      One Printer	0.0
      Generator	16,000
      Total	2,90,500

   (See Annexure P2 for more details)
   Total one-time costs 3,96,089
   
   
2. Running Expenses
   Honoraria for staff
   1. For Primary Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (Non-formal school & innovative school, classes 1 to5)
      

      1 HM @ 2,000, 4 Asstt Teachers @ 1,500, i.e. 8,000 monthly, or annually	96,000
      Music Teacher 1 @ 2,500, or annually	0.0
      Total	96,000

      
      
      
   2. For Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (Formal but innovative school, classes 5 to 8)
      

      Vocational Trainer for sheet metal work @ 2,000, or annually	24,000
      Trainer for tailoring @1,000, or  annually	12,000
      Sweeper @ 300 or annually	3,600
      Chowkidar @ 600, or annually	7,200
      Accountant-cum-typist @ 800, or annually	9,600
      Total	56,400

   
   Total Running Expenses 1,52,400
   
   
3. Recurring Expenses
   

   Study excursions & educational visits		50,000
   Electricity charges		10,000
   Study workshops and competitions		7,000
   Fuel expenses		18,000
   Contingencies
   a)	Primary Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (classes 1 to 5)	10,000
   b)	Krishi Audyogik Vidyalaya (classes 6 to 8)	10,000
   	Total	20,000
   Total Recurring Expenses		1,05,000

   
   Total Recurring and Running Expenses 2,57,400

Hence our requirements are as follows:

1. Non-Recurring One-time Expenses Rs.3,96,089
2. Recurring Annual Expenses Rs.2,57,400

ANNEXURE P1

ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING FACILITIES- PRIMARY KRISHI AUDYOGIK VIDYALAYA (NON-FORMAL & INNOVATIVE SCHOOL)

Cost in Rupees

ANNEXURE P2

ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING FACILITIES - KRISHI AUDYOGIK VIDYALAYA (FORMAL BUT INNOVATIVE SCHOOL)

Cost in Rupees

Teaching quality is very good compared to other govt. or non-govt. schools in the area. the teaching in other schools has become such a farce or so commercial that anybody just running a regular school properly, i.e., following the curriculum in a disciplined manner, has become a rare thing today.  background of teachers - all B.Ed., i.e., quite qualified. 3 out of four primary school teachers are dalits. similarly excet for two in secondary others are dalits. all from the area. secondary school teachers get govt. salary, i.e., Rs. 6000 p.m. whereas the primary school (which doesn't receive govt. aid) teachers get Rs. 500 p.m. sincerity and enthusiasm - only as much as you can expect from any salaried staff. the relationship of mr. uniyal with teachers is that of manager and employees. it is definitely not an equal relationship. mr. uniyal also doesn't expect anything more from them. his attitude is that he is paying salary and he would like work done. so there is not much that teachers would do on their own initiative as would be expected from volunteers or workers of a social organization. a tyical day at school - first half - classes are held as usual. second half - one period of academic activity followed by play and finally girls learn stitching and boys do agriculture. economic background - 70-80 percent children belong to dalit community. about 50 percent are landless (bhoomiheen) dalits. 'higher studies' refers to after 8th - high school and intermediate. most of the childern graduating from this school are likely to drop out after that rather than continue beyond 8th. the nearest school where they can continue studies is 4-5 km and the most children attending this school cannot afford the fees. agricultural practices - no, the children are not in a position to take advantage of what they learn here. first of all they learn only the usual stuff which they probably anyway have to do when they accompany their parents to the fields. most of them are landless but they cultivate fields of others. even if they continue agricultural activity after their school it will be more because of compulsion rather than choice.  mahesh wanted to make one additional point about the computer education. he doesn't think that the children are going to learn anything worthwhile with the computers. the most they would be able to do is to learn typing or play games. he feels that resources should be better spent and something more down to earth which has potential of increasing their income should be taught. as an example of this he mentioned bee-keeping.