Draft National Education Policy 2019 has highlighted the problem of children failing to learn to read, their numbers currently reaching 50 million. To enhance the child's ability to read LOKMITRA provides appropriate learning materials and improves the teaching methodology of teachers. This appeal is for providing support to 5 schools in Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh, impacting 600 students of Grade 1-5 at a nominal monthly cost of $300, support is given for up to 3 years.
In Uttar Pradesh, 75% Grade 5 government schools children could not read Grade 2 level text. (ASER 2016). Draft National Education Policy 2019 has also highlighted the immensity of this problem by stating that "Perhaps over 50 million children have not attained the ability to read a basic text and to carry out basic addition and subtraction." Children failing to be a good reader in primary schools miss the opportunity of successfully completing school education and realize their human right.
LOKMITRA's work leads us to believe that school teachers need to be empowered with new insights and skills; and provided with suitable materials so that there is a stimulating learning environment. Facilitators will periodically visit schools to get insight from classroom & dialogue with teachers to improve lesson plan and demonstrate the use of suitable learning materials. Ensuring print-rich learning environment, including regular use of the library, enriched with pictorial storybooks.
Better education of children will enhance their livelihood prospects when they grow up as adults. This will provide for better education and health of the next generation of children. There will be a sustained improvement in schools through the local level driving force of collaborative effort and mutual accountability. This behavioral change will result in the reduced role of Lokmitra. Other schools may also adopt this.
