WRIP as a tool for the slow learners for mainstreaming

The situation of the border village where SOVA has taken to work in collaboration with NEG-Fire was somewhat in this condition. Village having a school with teachers but school used to be closed for long days and if so teacher visits school simply puts sign at the attendance register. Rarely use to take class that to in a dictation process using Oriya language, which is unspoken by the children. There is a VEC but is no way functioning since the formation day. Likewise parents/community members were also equally responsible in promoting negligence in the minds of children towards schooling. Parents neither do pay attention in the schooling life of their own children nor give importance to education in the life of their children. Hence the children of this village were missing schooling life and engage in other domestic activities or plainly wasting time.

Initially staff has started working with children by promoting WRIP Center at the village. (WRIP Center means Writing and Reading Improvement Program) Staff organized a common knowledge test with the available children, where in result found 25 slow learner children. After that the 25 children were encouraged to gather at the school to start WRIP class every day on a particular time as school was not regular. Where children provided teaching on writing and reading skill continuously using alphabet cards, word cards, stories that too translated in Kuwi language. Staff first has taken effort in collecting words later translated into Kuwi-Odiya-Kuwi with the help of children and community members and developed word and story pictorial books. In the course of time staff has established close relation with community members. Thereafter community members raised voice for the regularity of teachers to school. If a worker of SOVA runs WRIP center regularly why not a govt. teacher be regular to school? This pressure has steadily grew higher side and made compel the teachers to be regular to school. There were little oppose initially from the teachers later gradually intermingled after seeing the result of WRIP students.  Only in just 14 weeks 16 out of 25 children were able to read and write alphabets, words and stories fluently, 5 out 25 are confident enough to read Oriya news paper. 8 out of 25 have enrolled their name in Ashram school.

Likewise on a series of time staff has taken effort to sit separately with the Village Development Committee (VDC). There involving the community members conduct social mapping exercise, identifying problems, extracting root causes and it effects, prioritizing the problems developing quarterly action plan. On this date community has become competent enough and has control over mid-day-meal service where earlier it was not in regular, have control in dropout, control in the irregularity of teachers to school and able to solve the drinking water problem.

Name                    : Sanjita Mahuk

Age                        : 26

Sex                         : Male

SC/ST                    : Yes SC

Village name         : Jamaguda

Panchayat name  : Ralegada

Block name           : Pottangi

District                   : Koraput

Changes Noticed: Though school was in place with teachers, but irregularity of teachers and the language problem have kept the children away from school. But the continuous effort taken collaboratively in support of community members, school teachers and SOVA-NEG-Fire staff has regularized the teachers, created a platform to study in the village by increasing the learning level of weaker children thru WRIP center and many more.

Changes in a course of time……..

Before 2008 the situation of the village was somewhat in this situation. Whereas, the village consists a school with average construction appointed with 2nos. of teachers for 40nos. of strength. Though there is a VEC, formed many years back is no way functioning since the formation day. Teachers use to go to school but twice

sin a month simply to put sign at the attendance register. Hence the children of this village were missing schooling life and engage in other domestic activities or plainly wasting time. Likewise parents/community members were also equally responsible in promoting negligence in the minds of children towards schooling. Parents neither do pay attention in the schooling life of their own children nor give importance to education in the life of their children. Besides this there are many other problems which lead children disinterest from school, like the language that teacher uses at school is not understandable by the children and vice-versa. Neither do they have any study material of their own language nor is the learning level of children such high that they could understand Oriya.

SOVA has taken this village as one of its operational villages since 2008 in support of NEG-Fire. Deputed staff’s to put into operation of the activities for a minimum of 3 years period. Initially the organization has started working with children by promoting WRIP. SOVA has taken this village as one of its operational villages since 2008 in support of NEG-Fire. Deputed staff’s to put into operation of the activities for a minimum of 3 years period. Initially the organization has started working with children by promoting WRIP Center at the village. (WRIP Center means Writing and Reading Improvement Program) Staff organized a common knowledge test with the available children, where in result 28 children secured zero. From then on the 28 children were encouraged to gather at the Mandap of the village to start WRIP class every day on a particular time. Where children provided teaching on writing and reading skill continuously using alphabet cards, word cards, stories that too translated in Paraja language. Staff first has taken effort in collecting words later translated into Paraja-Odiya-Paraja with the help of children and community members and developed word and story pictorial books. In the course of time staff has established close relation with community members. Thereafter community members raised voice to start WRIP class in school why at Mandap? Initially teachers were not permitting to do WRIP class at school but after the involvement of community members they have given a room for WRIP class.  Steadily teachers too have accepted the WRIP approach and seen the development in the learning level of children just within 14 weeks.

In result in the first year 3 out of 28 children have taken admission at Ashram School, and 6 out of 25 are confident enough to read and write in Oriya language. This year 9 out of 25 children have enrolled their names at Ashram school.

Likewise on a series of time staff has taken effort to sit separately with the Village Development Committee (VDC). There involving the community members conduct social mapping exercise, identifying problems, extracting root causes and it effects, prioritizing the problems developing quarterly action plan. On this date community has become competent enough and has control over mid-day-meal service where earlier it was not in regular, have control in dropout, control in the irregularity of teachers to school and able to solve the drinking water problem.

Youth As Change Agent

In bringing health consciousness

Case Study SOVA-IPAP

A small beginning…….