Meeting with TMC Block Officers, Thane

Date: June 7, 2010 Time: 2:00 PM to 4:15 PM Volunteers: Krishna, Ravindra, Sharmishtha, Havovi and Ashutosh TMC Representatives: All Block Officers under TMC Education Department (Primary) Agenda: Knowledge and ideas exchange, Understanding the schemes and policies related to enrollment, retention.

We shared the kind of work we do, our beliefs and motives and our vision. We shared observations and shortfalls we encountered during our community visits.

The topics discussed were:

• Enrollment process
• Documents needed for enrollment
• Migrant labors
• Enrollment drive
• Our participation in enrollment
• Schemes under which special allowances are given to minorities and girl children
• Mid-Day meal schemes
• School drop outs
• Government’s efforts for retention
• Bridge schools or programs for the school dropouts
• Teachers’ role in enrollment and retention
• Parents Teachers meetings
• Our participation in retention

1.     Enrollment Drive and Process:
TMC will start the enrollment drive from 14^th June. The drive will last till first week of July. But any child can be enrolled any time in the educational year. Teachers, Block Officers and staff members go into the settlements encouraging parents and children to get enrolled. They conduct detailed surveys in every area, to understand who all the children eligible for enrollment. Using information obtained from past surveys, they also seek for children who would have recently became eligible. Once the child is enrolled, they provide the textbooks & notebooks, uniforms, shoes etc.

2.     Documents needed for enrollment:
As per the rule, some proof of age is required to be enrolled in the school. When asked about the cases where Birth Certificate or any other age proof is not available, the response was, “we still enroll them first, and later we provide the information about obtaining the necessary documents to the parents and also help them with the same”

3.     Our Participation in Enrollment:
This is a major achievement and responsibility for us. TMC has noted in their circular to all the TMC schools that, “Any child brought/referenced by CRY volunteers has to be enrolled in the school without any hassles/troubles.”
They have also granted us the permission to accompany any Block Officer and/or teachers/staff for enrollment during the drive with the prior communication.

4.     Migrant Labor’s kids:
TMC understands that these kids are one of the major percentage in overall school dropouts due to their livelihood. In the cases of these kinds of children, any TMC school should allow the child to get enrolled even though the child may not complete the course. Volunteers were requested to counsel the parents to at least take a Leaving Certificate while leaving the city, so that whatever education they have completed will not be in vain.

5.     Schemes:
There are plenty of schemes under which minority students are entitled to avail the daily allowance of Rs. 2/- for every attended school day. There are also some scholarships for students who have regular attendance. A boy child is eligible to receive Rs. 1500/- and Rs. 1000/- for a girl per annum. There are few other schemes for backward classes and financially deprived families. The detailed information about these schemes will be requested to the TMC by us.

6.     Bridge school Programs:
Children who are out of the school for any reason, can be enrolled in the Bridge School Program (earlier this was named as Mahatma Fule Education Scheme). Under this scheme, students will be taught 4 educational years in 2 calendar years. This is an effort to empower and enable them to comply with other kids in mainstream.

7.     Teachers’ role:
Teachers and other staff play a very vital role in enrollment and retention. They do regular follow-ups with the communities to ensure the children and parents are aware about the importance of the education.

8.     Our participation in retention:
TMC will invite and involve us for all the efforts and programs run for enrollment as well as retention. This will include the enrollment drives, public awareness campaigns etc.

Another big leap for the group:

We will be invited for a meeting where TMC is planning to publish the implementation of Right to Education Act to public. High ranked officials like Mayor, Dy. Mayor, Education Officer, All Corporators, Public Relations officers etc. will be invited for this meeting. We may get a chance to represent our stand and our work. The meeting will be held on 16^th June 2010. We will get the official invitation very soon.