From grinding poverty to graduation

 Namaste to you all.

For this report I would like to tell you about the educational system in Bihar.

These are the literacy rates

•   male literacy rate: - 71.2%
• female literacy rate: - 55.5%.

Imagine the future of a state whose younger population is growing up without good quality education. One where only 32.57% population in the 16-17 years age group are enrolled in school, and only 44.07% students are transitioning from secondary to higher secondary whereas the transition rate from elementary to secondary is 84.64%. In Bihar around 1,25,00,000 youth, aged between 18-23 years, will enter the job market without good quality education.

 Given a dropout rate of about 70% between grade 1 and grade 10, the low enrolment at college level is not surprising.

62% primary students do not complete education

Nearly 5% of children from Bihar aged six to 14 years are estimated to be out of school, according to this 2015 human resource development ministry education profile. Of those out of school, 55% children were never enrolled and 25%Bihar has India’s second largest population aged five to 14 (Uttar Pradesh is first), but the government spends little per student.

Bihar recorded India’s lowest per student expenditure on elementary education, Rs 5,298 in 2014-15, according to the in the Economic and Political Weekly. The best-performing state (among the 18 surveyed), Himachal Pradesh, spent Rs 39,343 per student in 2014-15–or nearly seven-and-a-half times as much.

Capital expenditure – money spent on new schools and classrooms – has been meagre and fluctuates every year. In 2015-2016, Bihar allocated 5.75% of its total education budget on school infrastructure – inadequate in a state that has an average of 51 students in a classroom.

Of course, I am telling you this to give some background ...let’s look at our Dhobi School with 328 children from class 1 to 10.

Dropout rate 7% (mostly due to families moving out of the area )

Girls programme supporting girls in their education results in very rare dropout

Number in classroom –average 34

Through the sponsorship programme you support many students have not only completed their studies but gone on to higher education.

The school has computer education and audio-visual aids including big screen TV

We cannot change the education system in Bihar but we can help over 300 students receive a quality and caring and supportive education and change their lives in a positive way forever.

Some more stories from the children themselves in our next report

Thank you

Naresh

Namaste to Everyone!

It’s time for another update.

I want to tell you all about our programmes especially for girls here at People First.

Regular readers of this newsletter will have read many moving stories from girls and other students about how their lives were completely changed for the better due to the education we were able to provide so for this update I thought I would tell you about our programmes to help girls particularly.

As you know we have the “no abuse for life programme” at Rescue Junction providing education/ craft training and other help for girls which is the subject of a special appeal here on GlobalGiving.

Here are some of the measures…

We have more than 50% female staff and teachers many of whom are in senior management.  

Girls in all our schools and centres are given extra encouragement.

Girls at our flagship school at Dhobi can avail of a special support programme which works with the whole family to keep girls at school.

We have TOP (the opportunity programme) which offers sponsored places for further academic studies and courses in further education

Please be assured that our schools are providing quality education to the poor whom otherwise would not have the chance to receive it.

Like Kanchan, (student at Dhobi School. the name has been changed)

“Because there is a programme at our school for girls only where the people first staff and my teachers sometimes talk to my parents and they have signed a bond which says I can be in full time education for as long as I need it. I work very hard but I enjoy my school very much and I want to be a doctor for animals. I was first position in my class and my family is very proud. My school being a people first school is free to all the poor children but because I am part of the education for girls programme I get extra money for books and school materials and uniform, and the Trust has made sure that my parents support me. I want to thank you for your support very much and wish you and your families well”.

Your support helps so many students especially girls and we thank you so much for your much-needed help and assistance.

Thank you all

Naresh

Links:

• Please Visit us, our website is lonely... UPDATED ON MOBILE!!

Hi Everyone

This is Naresh Sir, Director of Education here with another update.

I want to tell you all about our programmes especially for girls here at People First.

Regular readers of this newsletter will have read many moving stories from girls and other students about how their lives were completely changed for the better due to the education we were able to provide so for this update I thought I would tell you about our programmes to help girls particularly.

As you know we have the “no abuse for life programme” at Rescue Junction providing education/ craft training and other help for girls which is the subject of a special appeal here on GlobalGiving.

Here are some of the measures…

We have more than 50% female staff and teachers many of whom are in senior management.  

Girls in all our schools and centres are given extra encouragement.

Girls at our flagship school at Dhobi can avail of a special support programme which works with the whole family to keep girls at school.

We have TOP (the opportunity programme) which offers sponsored places for further academic studies and courses in further education

Your support helps so many students especially girls and we thank you so much for your much-needed help and assistance. The photo shows just some of our students who have succesfully passed thier school leaving examination.

On behalf of all of them I wish you all a happy festive season with much gratitude

Naresh Sir

Links:

• Please Visit us, our website is lonely

Namaste

This Naresh Sir Director of Education here at People First.

I want to remind you all that the national news NDTV channel filmed a documentary from Dhobi School and I urge you all to take some time out and have a look at it, the address is linked below.

And that we also have a twitter account at @ children of Bihar.

News from here is that once again many students (mostly girls) passed their School leaving examination. Today is teacher’s day so I would like to honour and thank our wonderful teachers for their service in educating our children.

Further news for you all is that due a grant from People First International based in the UK we are holding extensive teacher training in The Averill Centre near Bodhgaya. We are also putting in place improved evaluation procedures for our educational service provision.

Sadly, Bihar is failing its students, this is from the wire…

"For two consecutive years now, Bihar has been in the eye of an education storm. From disturbing images of mass cheating to embarrassing interviews with Bihar school state board toppers, something rotten is plaguing Bihar’s school system.

The Nitish Kumar government has been applauded on various fronts, for arresting the slide in the law and order situation to improving economic indicators, spurring growth and investment in Bihar. Yet his government seems to have made little or no headway in improving the abysmal state of school education.

The Bihar 12th standard board exam resukts this year, announced on May 30, showed that 64% of the students have failed, and 63% in the arts stream. Since then, the Bihar School Education Board (BSEB) has been shrouded in controversy with daily reports of discrepancies".

However please be assured that our schools are providing quality education to the poor whom otherwise would not have the chance to receive it.

We thank you for your wonderful support

With Best Regards to all

Naresh

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• The film about Dhobi School is here...

Hi Everyone,

Namaste

My name is Sanjay.

I am now 29 years of age.

I was one of the first students to go to university in Delhi on a People First Scholarship.

I studied French.

I am now going to get married by the end of the year to the love of my life.

I am now working for a major MNC in a southern city of India.

The opportunity of a full education from childhood, for me, was nothing short of a miracle. One minute I had received another beating from my uncle, and then someone came to my village school and asked me would I like to go to Bodhgaya to study. They also told me that I would not be returning to my Uncle ever again as they had found a safe place to stay. There was no point returning for any possessions because I had absolutely none, not even a pair of sandals on my feet.  

The scheme that you help support is a life changing one, so many poor students like me will never face poverty again through the educational opportunities afforded to them.

We also feel we should help others and all ex People First students on an entirely voluntary capacity donate up to 10% of our salaries back into the education of others who need their chance in life also.  

Thank you for your help, and I wish you well.

Sanjay  

Links:

• Please Visit Us !!!