FREE COACHING PROGRAMME
SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATION
(HARYANA & CHANDIGARH)
(A Project on national Website of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation- India)
Start of the Project: 1995, Completion: Continuing (updated in July 2017)
Free Coaching is the unique Program initiated under the head ‘ Education’ Categorized under the various projects of the organization which was planned in 1996 in view of overall assessment of lower class students and the working of educational institution being run by central/State Govt. & Private Institution. It was considered fit to come forward for the needy students to assist them in their free focal condition. Majority of these students live in hutments in slums and villages, lacking most of facilities available for household as well as facing hard conditions of livings. It was quite tough to depute suitable persons to teach them at their doorstep or in close vicinity of their homes. The main reason was change of faces in routine which was a big obstacle to pursue this project forward.
In early 1996 the suitable steps were taken by the state organisation involving team of experts headed by the state co-coordinator (free coaching) to plan the program. Strategically importance was given to government school syllabus and homework being given in schools. The private institutions were kept out of consideration due to different reasons. Finally it was decided that Govt. schools should be taken up for the project ‘ Free Coaching’ with clear understanding that it will be chalked out for weak & needy students according to their daily coaching of the syllabus. Everyday 2 hours coaching after school timings was planned which includes health and hygiene awareness and importance of moral values apart from regular study. This module convince even to those school authorities, who never allow any outside agencies to enter their promises without proper govt. permission. Accordingly the plan was taken up & Govt. Schools were contacted for the purpose. Pilot project was started in one Govt School located in slum area of district Chandigarh. Apart from school authority, the district primary education officer appreciated the activity. After some time more schools were added and school authorities even honored the organization for this noble cause. Students of free coaching got due merits in various other activities and inter school competition. Free coaching was limited to class V-VI-VII-VIII students only. Many students who were of average performance rose to excellence after this coaching intervention.
Free Education Coaching- Statement
A joint efforts by the volunteers to impart good education and moral values to the students of socially and economically backward class can change the face value of that community & strengthen the needy in terms of academics and give them a chance to lead their life with good moral values.
Design of the Program:
Thus the matter was again discussed at large and reconsidered in the light of regular coaching of the students in well approved venues where there would be least chance of face changing and definite impact of education whatever imparted to them- regular coaching in accordance with approved syllabus, home task along with moral and health- hygiene education module there in to fulfil the obligations of overall development of the children of this most needed section of the society. Thus it was widely suggested to take up the matter with the Govt. Institutions who were already anxious for loss of interest of students in doing daily homework and decaying of moral values and spurt rise in unexpected diseases.
Moreover it was considered fit to make sure the school authorities that the organization will give due co-operation in supplementing their day to day teaching to the children along with lessons on moral education and health and hygiene tips to boost the morale of the children. This was actually a very difficult program for the spiritual organization to enter into Govt. institutions where no NGOs can dare to start any activity.
Education Module:
Free coaching module was thus prepared for five day coaching based on school syllabus ( daily two hours after school timings ) plus 6th day as review –i.e. one hour written test of the subjects whatever taught during last five days, half hour moral value based education and half hour tips on health and hygiene.
The same was taken up with education department which not only approved but appreciated the module and thus our organization sought a way into the Govt. schools to implement the project for this great noble cause.
Dedicated Organiser:
State organization nominated a state co-coordinator (free coaching) entrusting the activity. The heads of all the school institutions in the districts of the state were contacted to brief the module in 1996, with further lines of action – to get class wise list of weak needy students, commitment of parents to co-operate in sending their wards to attend additional classes after school timings.
Selecting / employing teaching staff to coach these classes after having due guide lines from the faculty of the organization about coaching on the above lines. The programme was furthered to discuss the arrangements of teaching staff as well as daily supervision by the faculty elders. It was also a vital issue to meet with financial implications to run this activity to achieve the projected targets.
Services of Elders & Retirees:
As per the State co-coordinator’s suggestions, elders and all retirees or voluntary teachers have been invited to come forward to devote daily two hours after school timings in their convenient nearest school venues or may pay for one teacher each or 2-3 may join hands for this great cause to feed the project. It was a general opinion that volunteer offer may sometime be difficult to fulfill having social bindings upon us all, so all agree to the proposal to pay for teacher’s salary as many as they are employed voluntarily as per their capability.
Experimental Basis:
Initially the project was experimented in Panchkula district followed by other districts of the State. The authorities were regularly apprised of this project in our state report from time to time. A summary of statistics of classes, session/ year and no. of beneficiaries has been recorded.
Year Classes Beneficiaries
2002-03 4 193
2003-04 18 632
2004-05 20 1057
2005-06 33 965
2006-07 34 1096
2007-08 32 1482
2008-09 28 1070
2009-10 25 1193
2010-11 11 535
2011-12 15 555
2012-13 26 1210
2013-14 41 1848
2014-15 33 1061
2015-16 33 1142
2016-17 29 961
The project taken up was so unique and duly appreciated by the department as well as commendable co-operation extended to the organization by the school authorities in view of experience of social change in day –to- day behavior of the children.
Parents Interest:
It was favored by the parents also who seemed to be anxious in asking for as to when next time the classes would be started. It is worth to mention that students in free coaching had been taking part in various competitions in district level institutions winning prizes / awards to shine the name of their institutions.
Selection to National Scheme School:
The students of this free coaching were always selected in Nehru Educational program “NOVODEYA” where they were admitted for free residential education in their respective centers. These students also participated in organizational cultural programmes conducted from time to time. The classes in progress were visited by VIP s from Sathya Sai Seva Organisation and also interacted with the children attending the said classes.
Appreciation:
The Government department of Chandigarh administration not only appreciated this program but also honored the organization awarding a certificate and momentum during session 2010-11. The program of free coaching is enthusiastically being carried on in the entire state with a difference improving the ties of different religions in strengthening the brotherhood of man kind. Presently the organization conducted this program in 29 centers benefitted 961 needy students in the current session 2016-17 as per district- wise detail here under.
Challenges Faced:
By now with the passage of time, scenario has altogether changed, earlier govt. institutions has short of teachers & nominal vigilance but now the thousands of B.ED, M.ED Teachers are coming out from colleges.& daily the govt. is facing agitation for regularization of adhoc staff filing vacant post etc. So, most of the schools have sufficient staff to meet their requirement Even 8-10 teachers in each school have been posted as ‘contract teacher to run improvement classes themselves without any NGO s assistance. Moreover the school timings are so lengthy that the students are not allowed to stay in schools after school hours ( i.e in schools 7.30 to 1 pm and at some places 8.30 to 2.30 pm). It was quite difficult to convince students to come back after having a short break( to go home and return after having refreshment) and then attend free coaching classes for 2 hours afterwards. The reason was obvious that once children go to their home seldom return. Experiences of the session 2015-16 state that out of 145 students only 41 students reported back for 1.30 to 3.30 pm session (free coaching) & none reported back in the class, 2.30 to 4.30 pm shift. Once upon a time the Haryana school education department didn’t allow the classes after 3 pm especially during winter.
So, it is quite challenging to perform in such hard situation, still the dedicated team and blessing of SWAMI make it possible to run ahead and take up the needy students for free coaching in their respective areas throughout the Haryana & Chandigarh state. By 2016-17 29 classes are being run by state organisation in various districts benefiting 961 students. However the organization is fully alive to the situation and makes all out efforts to take up the needy students for free coaching in their respective areas available in the state to run free coaching. During the period under report 29 classes are being run by the state organization in various Districts benefiting 961 students in their respective areas.
The state level project was devised by forming various committees at district level in the state. The time and again the efforts were made at slum level in all the districts of the state considering the slum dwelling children being the most needy one whose parents- mostly laborers – illiterate and least bothered about their children education and more worried arranging two meals a day and clothing. Despite all out efforts, the slum children could not help changing daily faces in the classes started for them as they have pressure from their parents to make them the part of their daily earnings – putting them in rag picking jobs etc. and thus convincing the parents to motivate their children to attend coaching classes was totally a futile act.
Project Coordinator: Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation-Haryana & Chandigarh
Contact Person: Sri Subhash C Dheer, State President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation-Haryana & Chandigarh, mail ID: dheersubhash@yahoo.com
Feedback: admin@ssssoindia.org
Courtesy: http://ssssoindia.org/
