CHAPTER 3

3.1. HISTORY AND GROWTH: Inspired by Swami Vivekananda, late Dr. Rakesh Popli (nuclear scientist), his wife Rama Popli (a child education expert) and the group of young educationists supported by organization like Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra and Friends of Tribal Society (FTS) refined the concept of the 'oneteacher school' amongst the tribes of Gumla (125 km away from Ranchi (Jharkhand), Chhatisgarh. Started in 1986, the Ekal Vidyalaya movement was registered as charitable trust (Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India) in 1999. Simultaneously, FTS was started in 1989 and has now 22 chapters and there is no chapter of EVFI in India (tab-2) With a goal of opening 1,00,000 EVs by 2011, the EVFI international was started in January of 2001 as the fundraising arm and has been granted FCRA to receive foreign contributions. Table - 2: Regional chapters establishment S.No . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Chapters Kolkata Agra Delhi Mumbai Surat Raipur Bhopal Ranchi Nashik Jabalpur Tinsukia Silchar Bengaluru Guwahati Chennai Jamshedpur Nogaon Jaipur Coimbatore Bhubaneshw ar Silliguri Kochi Started 15th January 22th September 03rd May 14th September 20th May 15th December 11th January 11th April 07th August 09th October 08th January 11th January 31st July 27th November 14th July 13th August 26th November 10th June 15th July 29th July 05th August 16th May Year 1989 1991 1992 1997 2001 2002 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2008
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3.2. EKAL VIDYALAYAS: 3.2.1. GLIMPSES INTO ITS WORKING Guided by four principles (Uphold the dignity of the individual; Love and respect motherland/culture/ mother nature, Develop good character, Make education joyful) EVs offer Basic Education, Health Care Education in the areas of Preventive measures; Mother-child care; Curative treatment of general diseases; a referral service for serious cases, Development Education (Village Development) and Empowerment Education (People Empowerment). The Non-formal education programe of Ekal Vidyalayas also support the Formal government or private primary schooling and offer a weekly refresher class. The Friendly Teacher is like an elder brother or sister, speaks in the Local dialect, plays, sings, educates, and empowers children and makes learning dynamic and fun. Inducted by vigorous training and with monitoring, the Ekal teacher adapts the curriculum and schedule and runs the Vidyalayas. In addition, Urban families serve as caretaker families. A key feature of the EVs are the low administrational overhead and support of the villagers and surrounding area. The overall structure of EVs is given as (fig-3) below. Figure-3 Structure of EVs
Kendriya Kshetra Anchal Sankul Sanch Upasanch Ekal Teacher All India State District Taluks 30 Villages 10 Villages 1 Village

Area (270 schools) Sub Area (3 Block) 90 schools Cluster (1 Block) 30 schools Sub Cluster (10 schools) 1 Vidyalaya (one teacher)

The EVs have a three-hour daily curriculum is structured into 7 categories (Math, Language, Handicraft, General knowledge & Science, Health care, Physical Training and Sanskar (moral education). This has been developed by a panel of reputed educationists experienced in rural education and is constantly being improved. Recognising the functionality of NFE in EVs, the learning sessions are catalyzed by storytelling, play sessions, and such other activities. Not
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replacing the role of formal schools, the EVs sustain and motivate for enrollment in a formal education. The Ekal Vidyalaya teacher, with approval from the school committee, determines the school schedule and the teaching methods. The starting of an EVs requires six months of preparation work including the survey for needs assessment, establishment of village committee of elders, their consent to start the school and recruitment of teacher recommended by them with a right attitude.

3.2.2. IMPACT There have been several informal and couple of formal evaluations done regarding the impact of EVs on the community and society. A random sample survey undertaken in North east, Gujrat, Jharkhand,

Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh showed that growth rate of literate children in school village was 36% and the dropout rate of students within 3 years period after joining EVs was a meager 9%. The pass out rates (nearby government schools) were also higher for both the Kishore (within 3 Yrs) group (40%) and Bal (within 5 Yrs) group (32%). Student admission increased (54%). Apart from these two evaluations the anecdotal evidence of the EVs students getting more prizes in interschool competitions and intramural programmes, and their greater participation in extracurricular and co-curricular activities speaks volumes about the desired impact. However much of this is poorly documented and not analyzed systematically. Apart from this, there has been a lack of independent evaluations on both the functioning and impact of the EVs on the society and community.

3.3. EKAL VIDYALAYAS IN KARNATAKA: Ekal Vidyalayas (EV) was started in the year 2001. Currently there are about 760 EVs spread across 6 (Table 3) districts and the number of EVs have seen a steady increase. There has been no formal evaluation undertaken so far but as with other EVs, anecdotal evidence and informal enquiries have revealed that they have achieved the larger goals set out. Table 3: EVs growth in Karnataka Year 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 No. of Schools 83 61 222 65 150 98 51 30
30 2001 179 81 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 329 394

Growth of Ekal Vidyalayas in Karnatkaa

616 677 760

In the year 1998 EVs decided at National level to spread Ekal Vidyalaya Yojana spread to all the states and group of workers from different states were trained accordingly at Ayodhya. EVs work started in the year 2001 with the funds provided by Jindal Alluminiums at Sedam, Gulbarga district. We had no earlier experience in Ekal vidyalaya. Directly contacted some local people to identify the Acharyas at village level for the initial training. Local teachers from likeminded organization were roped in to take the classes. After the training the program started with much enthusiasm and going on smoothly for initial months. Slowly lack of organization started showing up. Further few influential people who helped us initially to organize started monopolizing the project. Finally after 11 months decision was taken by the organization to close the operation. Districts Bellary year 2002 2002 2002 Bidar 2002 Taluk Kudligi Sandur H.B.Halli Aurad No. Of E V 30 30 30 30
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2003 2002 2007 Chamrajnagar 2003 2004 2005 2006 2006 Koppal 2002 2005 2005 Mysore Uttar Kannada Belgaum Gulbarga 2006 2005 2006 2006

Rural Humnabad Bhalki Gundlupet Hanur Yelandur

30 30 90 60 30 30 (Gundlupet) (Kollegal) (Kollegal)

Terakanambi 30 Ramapur Koppal Kustagi Yelburga 2002 2002 30 30 30 30 90 60 90 60 30 60

H.D.Kote Joida

Khanapur Chincholi Yadgiri Sedam

3.4. HEALTH EDUCATION: In the year 2003 it was decided that Arogya yojana to be added to the existing village.

Accordingly one more women from the village trained as Arogya Sevika was trained.

3.5. DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION: In the year 2004 we started training our worker in Vermi compost, rain water harvest, tree plantation and vegetable cultivation etc as per the following. But only this year we could implement some of these activities at village level.

3.7. TREE PLANTATION 1. Fruit bearing trees 2. Timber wood trees 3. Medicinal Plants (15 Verities) (5 Verities) (20 Verities)

4. Vegetable Cultivation (20 Verities) 5. Nursery 3.8. COW BASED PRODUCTS 1. Organic Manure (Six Types) 2. Bio-Gas 3. Kamadenu Pest inhibiter (Amrit Pani, and Four Verities of Keetniyantrak) 4. Panchagavya Aushadhi (Toothpowder, Mosquito coil, Soap, Agarbatti) 3.9. EMPOWERMENT EDUCATION: This year we could train our workers under Right to Information Act. 3.10. CONTEXT OF THE EVALUATION STUDY: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) is the academic and research institution with a deemed to be University status. It has pioneered research on Yoga and adopted a comprehensive approach to implement Yoga as a practical, feasible, acceptable and an evidence based intervention in ensuring health of the community (www.svyasa.org). Sri S K Maini, is the Chief Patron of the Ekal Vidyalaya movement in Karnataka and is also the Chairman of the Maini Group. Following up on an interaction on the 28th of September 2008, he requested Dr H R Nagendra, Vice chancellor of SVYASA to do an impact survey on Ekal Vidyalayas in a systematic and scientific manner. This led to a series of both formal and informal discussions (Annexure I). It was decided to include and involve the experts at NIMHANS and other SVYASA partnering organizations. The structure and members of the present valuation study is given as Fig - 4.

Figure - 4 Ekal Vidyalays Evaluation Committee