Homely MDM in Paraja Pondi School of Koraput block

Entire country is getting upset over the lack of proper care being taken during Mid Day Meal at schools . However things are also different in many schools which are in remote pockets of Koraput district . Such was an experience at Paraja Pondi in Koraput block when I went there couple of days back . Children washed their hands with soap with the teacher pouring water ( the school does not have a water source in the campus and water is precious) .

Then children are seated properly on the verandah on the mats like we sit at home . The cook who was serving food to children was asking the children if it was OK . Then children folded their hands and offered prayer before taking food . It was something unusual in many government schools and I felt so happy . Learnt that the practice was initiated by the previous teacher and currently being practised in letter and spirit by the newly appointed teacher . Congrats to the initiator and to the one who takes it forward . Great ...

Its Play time on Saturday at Ex-Board UP School,Koraput

Children at Ex-Board UP School , Koraput taking the joy of Saturday Freedom with less burden on classroom transactions . It was a great reminder of childhood while standing for a while with them yesterday morning.

Attention needed for Total Cleanliness in Ex-Board UP School

It justifies the popular saying " Front Beauty Back Municipality" . Very often we ignore our backyard while taking care to see that the front side was clean and tidy . Such was the situation of Ex-Board UP School, Koraput when I went there yesterday morning. Hope the school would take care to see that cleanliness was maintained all around .

Test in SAHAJA Programme at Ex-Board UP School , Koraput

Children submitting the answer sheets during the Sahaia weekly Test yesterday at Ex-Board UP School ,Koraput .

Dy.Director Girls Education visits Ex-Board UP School , Koraput on 23rd August-2013

Surekha Tarai , Dy.Director , Girls Education  from  OPEPA, Bhubaneswar visited Ex-Board UP School in Koraput . She offered flowers at the statues of eminent personalities being placed in the school campus and examined in great details about the implementation of SAHAJA - the special programme of the state to improve the learning level in children .

Skill to Self Protection for Girls launched in Ex-Board School ,Koraput

Learning skills for self protection for girls of 35 schools in the district was launched from Police UP School , Koraput yesterday which was continued in Ex-Board UP School in the town . Among others Surekha Tarei , Dy.Director , Girls Education and Gayatri Samantray , Stater Gender Coordinator and padmini Pathi , gender Coordinator of Koraput spoke to the children . The camp would be held for four days in each of these schools taking 50 children in a group . The training is being conducted under the guidance of Mahesh Chandra Baral and his team of Karate trainers from Utkal  Karate School , Sunabeda   . While having lady trainers were necessary to orient girls , there were only about 15 lady trainers in the state for Judo , Karate and Tukando taken together  , Mr. Baral said . However there was an effort to spot some capable girls from these learners from across the district to train them as trainers on a later stage , he added.
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A school in Paraja Pondi faces Challenges with Lack of Water Source

Lack of coordination between the local authorities and public adds miseries to schools across the district . For some reasons best known to the then teacher , when the village was shifted to a nearby place from its original place for having Koloab reservoir , this school at Paraja Pondi in Koraput block was constructed on the top of a mountain . As a result , till date children have to climb up in the morning to attend the school facing great challenge of water . While they carry water in bottles , the cook brings water from a tubewell at the bottom of the village . There was no water and hence the toilet doors were still shut since its construction (dont know how the authorities get satisfied from such closed facilities !). Surprisingly till date there was no attempt by the authorities to solve the water problem for the school . However the ambiance and the teacher-student relationship that was in progress in the school by the two young teachers was praise worthy . I felt very encouraged yesterday to feel that everything was not lost .

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With Children of Khilaput in Koraput Block on 22nd August-2013

Today morning interacted with the members of School Cabinet at Khilaput in Koraput block . Children were energetic and had many questions for me . I shared them the relevance of the ministries in learning details of each and everything that affects them directly and indirectly including the subjects taught in the classroom . I also explored with the children the possibilities in learning from each and every object around us . Children were excited to carry out the process of Know and Let others Know . It was a nice morning ...

Khilaput UP School is changing for the active teachers

Active and dedicated teachers can bring changes even if the system had no intention to do so . Khilaput UP School in Koraput block was changing for the better for the dedicated effort of the three teachers under the leadership of Trinath Guru , Headmaster . The school has grown some plants around , maintaining the cleanliness and keeping the environment suitable for learning . Spending some time here today was something to be remembered . Great effort ...

Children of Umuri Curious to Exhibit their innovation

Here are the members of School cabinet in UP School at Umuri in Koraput block . When I reached their school today , they had a lot to share . They had written about the plants around them . It was nice to see their documentation . Talked to them for a while on issues and possibilities that they were affected with in addition to sharing with them on how to document the condition and changes in the environment before I left for Khilaput UP School . It was simply great ...

Children of Dristi meet District Collector in their School

Dristi , the school for Blind at Koraput had a great occasion to have the District Collector with the children . Children and staff shared him the challenges , problems and possibilities in the school .

With School Cabinet in Debighat Primary School

Talking to the school cabinet at Debighat in Koraput block this Saturday was a sweet experience . They were narrative and opened all the activities that they were carrying out in the school . I also shared the rich work being done by other children across the country while trying to inspire them . They promised to do more and I promised them that I would visit their school again to meet them and listen to them .

Children filling space to mark their attendance in class at Debighat Primary School

The process of children giving their own attendance by filling the space against their name in the format placed in the classroom was introduced by OPEPA/SSA a few years back in the state run schools across the state . This aims at developing ownership over the activities for children through the participation of children . While such formats had lost their existence in most of the schools , it was nice to see children actively filling up the attendance form in Debighat Primary School as was seen last Saturday. Thanks to the teachers for keeping it alive .

Children Managing Own Files in School at Debighat

hese well built file covers were once supplied by UNICEF to keep records of Std.I and Std.II children in many schools of Koraput district . While in most of the schools that had remained as an ornament lying in a corner without almost any use , I was happy to see that children in Debighat Primary School in Koraput block were using them effectively . When I asked a child of Std.II to show her file . She readily went to the racks and opened the files on her own , showed me all that she had done in the class and closed it well before keeping on the shelf . It was a great achievement looking at their family background . Most of them are first generation learners . I think teachers from other schools need to visit this school to get inspired . The department could make arrangements for the visit .Hope for better future could be ignited after visiting such schools .

Where every bit is an Education for Children

In the Primary school at Debighat of Koraput block every bit of things were meant for learning .

 Children enjoyed the school for the loving attitude of teachers and a wonderful environment being created in the little space .Here names of trees written near them , an empty bird cage shows the importance of freedom symbolically , space for placing the chappals in a systematic manner was something unique . Dont worry this is not a corporate school where students pay thousands , but a Govt. aided primary school where teachers were working sincerely even if they were yet to get their salaries for over the last six months for the lack of allotment from the state Govt. of Odisha .
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Pictures speak story with Thousand Words at Debighat Primary School in Koraput Block

These are the pictures painted on the two pillars of the school gate at Debighat in Koraput block . I bowed my head before the teachers of the school with gratitude for the wonderful thought they had kept in the mind while painting it which was also in practice in the school for years . As you can see at 10 am teachers are in the front leading the children to the school and at 4 PM when the school was closed , children were the first to leave the premises leading the teachers .

Teachers had no salary for more than two months

The fifteen minute interaction with the BEO of Koraput (who is also the in-charge of seven more blocks of Koraput sub-division) in his office brought two things to light :
1. The modern system of account transfer had created some challenges which had forced non payment of salaries of teachers and other non teaching staff including members of his own office over the last two months . But this was sorted out and even the teachers serving in Koraput NAC area would get the payment by Monday .But the teachers in Jeypore sub-division might have to wait for some more time as the new BEO who was appointed after the retirement of DI of Schools , Jeypore had not joined yet .
2. The teachers of JELC schools in the district had not received their salaries after March this year for the lack of allotment being granted by the state . These schools are 100% aided schools and till the allotment reaches nothing can be done !
My Opinion : Congratulations to BEO sir for his interest in bringing solution to the teachers of Govt.Schools .Let s hope that the state government would be more serious in releasing the allotment so that the schools in the district from where the state has an Education Minister would not suffer for the unhealthy atmosphere of negligence .

Mid-Day - Meal at Debighat Primary School today

Today I waited for the Mid-Day-Meal being served to children at Debighat Primary School . While all across the country people were getting concerned over the quality of the meal and the way it was cooked and served to children , here I was grateful to the teachers who have made it delicious for the children for their keen effort . Today according to the meal chart prescribed by the state there was nothing extra to be given . However teachers had brought down bananas from the tree in the school premises , made it ripe and served them to children in the plate .

 It was for the teachers' involvement that a platform for washing hands for the children was made . Today when I am posting this in facebook am also watching a debate in a television channel on MDM where speakers were highlighting the need of involvement of teachers in making it the best . However here I could see teachers working hard making it in a district like Koraput where the teachers of JELC were deprived of their salaries for the last six months for the lack of allotment . Could someone ask the government to support honest work by releasing the grant in time !

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Sahaja becomes Easy with Participation of Children

Under the Sahaj programme in the schools managed by the state government of Odisha today being a Saturday  was a testing day for Children . When I entered Debighat JELC Primary School in Koraput block in the morning , children were appearing the test . Prasantkumar Patro  , the headmaster of the school was inspecting in one of the rooms . I waited for the children to finish their answers to the questions written on the black board . Education Minister of the school asked the children if they had completed their work and started collecting the answer sheets from the children and handed over to Mr.Patro . Participation of children in such a manner apart from developing ownership and leadership qualities in children , also make the process really Sahaj (easy) for the school to grow together . It was a great exercise and I loved it . Thank you Sir !

Inauguration of Additional Classroom at Pujariput UP School at Koraput

Additional Classroom of Pujariput UP School in Koraput was inaugurated today by Raghuram Padal , MLA in presence of Chudamani Seth , PD , DRDA and Muralidhar Swain , DPC , SSA .
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Greetings

Wishing you a very Happy Makar Sankranti today

--
Ch.Santakar
Pujariput
Koraput-764020
Orissa
Mob:09437192553
e-mail:santakar@gmail.com
web:www.koraputonline.com