Minutes
of Conference Call with Vallabh (Asha Varanasi) on
Attendees: Vallabh,
* Why teachers are being paid Rs. 750?
Vallabh and Rakesh found that these were new teachers and were not very
skilled. In fact they got the impression that they were teaching for timepass.
Previously they were being given Rs 500 and seemed satisfied with it and on increasing
to Rs 750 they were quite happy. Vallabh felt that we should only consider
raising their salaries after we see the progress they make by December.
* There are around 9 teachers but they
felt that there were only 6-7 required.
* Vallabh said that salaries for the
other teachers should be reviewed in July only and for now Rs 1500 should be
continued with.
* There is a big primary school nearby
with around 600 children. There are some facilities there but the education
lacks in quality. So people who could afford the fees in such schools (Rs 40 -
100) are also eager to send their children to ASS becuase of the better quality
of education.
* If the school (ASS) were closed there
are enough schools nearby to absorb most of the children who would be
displaced. But there are around 40 children from the backward community who
dont want to go outside the community to join any school. These
children have never been to school before
and because of discrimination they would not join any school outside their
local area. In case the school is closed these are the children who will really
lose out.
* People in the area are into fishing and
farming (tobacco) and they earn a decent living to provide for their children.
* Why were so many children failed in the
last year?
This was because that a lot of these
students were not learning fast enough. ASS was started to cater to older girls
who had never been to school before. But soon the admissions were opened to all
and it was found that the children who joined school at an older age were not
able to keep pace with the younger kids.
There was no point in promoting kids from
4th to 5th if they did not know how to write their names also. The
suggestion was that the 4-10 students with such a problem could be coached in a
separate shed by a teacher dedicated for them only.
* This village is around 35 kms from
Ballia, which has a population of around 40,000 and there are several other
small small villages around Ballia. There is electricity for 3-4 hours a day
and that also brings about a phone problem. Recently a Reliance tower has
come up nearby and the present
coordinator Vijai Bhai has a Reliance phone, who could be contacted. (Need to get
the number yet from Vallabh)
* Brajendra Bhai was given two options -
to change the system or to close the school. Closing the school would affect
those 40 odd children mentioned above but they could be taken care of by
employing two teachers or so.
* Brajendra Bhai agreed to continue with
the school and help change it - his 2 other family members were employed by the
school and also the prestige of having started the school.
* Brajendra Bhai was kept with ASS for
the following reasons - he was the founder and had worked very hard to get the
school started (good intentions), he is very good in English and is very
experienced (he is teaching the children)
* Vallabh gave his cell phone numbers to
the teachers to ensure greater transparency
* No trips to any far off place
(over-night) – too much liability for Asha.
* No clothes or mid-day meals are
required for children.