Sir/Madam,

Questions & Answers

1. What are the reasons for initiating this school project?

· I did my schooling in Tripura and came out to Bombay for higher studies. I completed (+2 & Bachelor Degree) from Bombay and Master Degree from Central University of Hyderabad and received Ph.D. Degree from University of Mumbai. After completion of Ph.D. Degree I returned home in Tipura. The local people and few renowned officials in the State Government requested me to stay back in Tripura and do something for the disadvantaged community in Tripura. I felt it is my moral obligation to do something to the people of Tripura, that is, returning debt to my Native State. I know education is the backbone for development of any society and decided to start a school project so that the children of disadvantaged tribals can be benefited for generations. Thus came the existence of the School and I was given a Govt job as Asst. Professor at a Govt. Degree College near the School Project.

2. How many students and teachers are in your school?

The school is in its Second Academic Year with 137 students (130 S.T. & 7 General) having classes from K.G.-I to Class-III. It is decided to upgrade by one class every year and increase only 30 seats (intake capacity) each year. We envisage upgrading the School up to Higher Secondary (10 + 2) level in future for the welfare of the people of this backward zone. The School is fully residential and has students and staff as shown below:

Sl No.

Particulars

No. of Students/Staff

Academic Year

Students

Teachers

Matrons (Ayas to nurse and take care of the children)

Cook

Cleaner

Watchman

Clerk-cum-peon

50 + 87 = 137

2002-03 & 2003-04

3. What is the present status of Infrastructure?

With meager contribution of local people we made a humble beginning with rooms made of traditional bamboo wall and straw roof. Except a hostel building the remaining structures (classrooms, dinning hall, hostels, reading room, Kitchen etc. are of temporary structure made of traditional bamboo wall and straw roof). Tables, chairs, benches and sleeping cots are procured from local sources (local made i.e. not purchased from market). We are working hard to procure required infrastructure to make the school a Model Educational Institute in Tripura. 15 Acres plot of land is available in possession of the Trust for development of a well-planned School Complex.

4. What are some of the difficulties in running the school?

We are finding it difficult to meet the maintenance expenses and salary of staff. Minimum honorarium is being paid to the staff due to which many of them want to quit the job. If we increase honorarium, better teaching and non-teaching staff can be recruited that will help for better performance of the school.

5. What types of students are in your school (i.e. what is their social-economic background, are they from tribal groups, are their parents working, do they pay a fee etc.)?

· Around 98% students in our school belong to tribal community and 2% are OBC (Other Backward Caste½. 70% of their parents are from BPL (Below Poverty Line½ families, 25% farmers and 5% employees (Approx.½. We charge tuition fee Rs. 80/- per student per month which they did not pay regularly and many parents have not paid for several months. I am donating my full salary to pay salary to the teaching and non-teaching staff of our school. The school is providing all required stationary items such as paper, pencil, slates, soaps, tooth-brush, tooth-paste etc. to the students.

6. You had indicated that there was some land available for the school which is in possession of a Trust. Could you provide more details about the Trust?

The School is run by a Registered Trust, named Bahujana Hitaya Education Trust. The association (Trust½ is registered under Indian Trust Act. 1882 and also under Society Registration Act. 1860). The Trust has formed a Management Committee to monitor the functioning and maintenance of the school. In other words, we have two-tire administration i.e. the Trust and the Management Committee.

7. We would need more details about the school and your requirements for funding. Is funding required for building, teacher's salaries or other things. We would also need to know the overall scope and all requirements of your project even if you are not requesting all of the funding from us. If there are other agencies providing some funds, we would need to know that as well.

The sole objective behind starting the school in a backward zone and rural village is to cater quality education to the underprivileged children of tribals as most of the good schools are centered in the cities and towns where the poor tribals and farmers can’t afford to send their children. It is an initiative to turn the focus from cities and towns to rural villages to develop the society through education. Our school at Manu Bankul, South Tripura is a Residential School inaugurated on 25^th May 2002. The school is in its initial stage of development. We are having classes from KG-I to Class –II this year and envision to upgrade the school up to Degree College Level by upgrading one class every year. I have started the school project by the small savings I had and meager contribution from local people. Hostels, Dinning Hall, Kitchen, Classrooms and office are temporary structures built with bamboo wall and straw roof. Last year we received a building from the Govt. under BADP scheme which is being used as a hostel. This hostel can’t accommodate all the 130 boarders. We need 2/3 more hostels to provide proper accommodation to them. This year we received another building (with 5 classrooms½ from the Govt. under the same scheme but construction is yet to start. The Dept. of Tribal Welfare, Govt. of Tripura has sanctioned stipend to 130 ST boarders @ Rs. 450/- per student per month but the amount is not yet released.
To tell you frankly, I need almost everything to develop the project into a good school. I can probably categorize the requirement as given below:
1. Building & furniture
2. Salaries for teaching & non-teaching staff
3. A School Bus
4. Maintenance cost

Out of the above cited 4 items, buildings and furniture may require quite huge amount of money. I don’t know whether it will be fair on my part to ask fund for that. We need to have the following buildings:

1. A building with classrooms, office, laboratory etc.

2. Hostel building (2 Nos.½

3. Dinning Hall & kitchen

4. A library building

5. A Multipurpose Hall

6. A guest house

7. Staff quarters

8. Dispensary (Health Center½

We have not received any fund so far from any agency except stipend for 130 students from the Dept. of Welfare for Scheduled Tribes, Govt. of Tripura.

8. If you are requesting funds for a building, then we need to know the plans from start to completion including maintenance after completion and milestones when payments would be required.

We have drawn a comprehensive Master Plan to develop the school project into a full-fledged Residential School and a Degree College in next 10 years. The Total estimated cost for construction of buildings is Rs. 3,095,7,000/-. Abstract of cost estimate is given below for your kind information. Construction can be taken up in phases and complete in 4 years. Detail
estimate could be furnished if it is asked for.

ABSTRACT OF COST ESTIMATE

1. School building (classrooms, office rooms, Lab. Etc.) Rs. 42,56,000/-
2. Hostel (200 seated) 2 Nos.         Rs. 87,42,000/-
3. Dinning Hall and Kitchen Rs. 6, 88,000/-
4. Library         Rs. 35,00,000/-
5. Multipurpose Hall and Auditorium          Rs. 55,61,000/-
6. Guest House            Rs. 25,00,000/-
7. Staff Quarter (2 Nos.)      Rs. 52,00,000/-
8. Dispensary (Health Center)         Rs. 5,10,000/-
................
Total: Rs. 3,095,7,000/-

9. Have you registered according to the FCRA (Foreign Currencies regulation Act)? This is not essential for receiving the funds but is helpful and therefore we are asking the question.

· Yes, Bahujana Hitaya Education Trust is registered under FCRA.