Programme for Enrichment of School Level Education initiated by the Aga Khan Foundation in India

Staying in school

MALVIKA KAUL

An NGO in Jaipur helps students, and parents, from the economically weaker sections prepare for the rigours of organised learning.

Excerpt…

A programme that works

Bodh’s mother-teacher programme is now part of the Programme for Enrichment of School Level Education (PESLE), initiated by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in India, and supported by the European Commission. This pre-school programme focuses on improving the child’s social environment and prepares the community and the child for long-term education.

“While parents (from slums) have a strong desire to send their children to a school, they are not sure how to prepare the child for it,” says Sayida Akhtar, another mother-teacher in Amagarh. Initially, children would come to the school and start crying for their mothers after 10 minutes. Since they all live close to the school, the children would simply go home each time they wanted to see their mother. “In the first six months, our efforts are to simply help the child understand that she or he has to stay in the classroom for some time,” says Sayida.

As the mother-teachers are familiar with everyone in the neighbourhood, they also visit families and explain the kind of nutritious food the child’s tiffin should have, emphasise daily hygiene and toilet training. The mother-teacher also informs families about immunisation and medical facilities available for children.

Magazine – The Hindu