Survey on Community Participation in International Education

Save the Children Japan

<Basic Data>

Name of Organization / Aasaman-Nepal
Organization Web Site / (Save the Children Japan)
Project Name / Getting Children Out of Work and Into School
Target Country / Nepal
Project Area / Dhanusha District (23 VDC), Mahottari District (7 VDC)
Project Term / FY2003 - FY2007
Budget Estimate / JPY 16,000,000 (FY2003)
Project Background and Outline / According to survey (2001) conducted in our project areas in Dhanusha and Mahottari District, the percentage of children aged 5-14 who has attended school was as low as 50% in Dhanusha and 35% in Mahottari. After implementation of program for two years in these two districts, the situation has changed. Currently the children attending school (of 5-14 age), has rose to 65% in Dhanusha and 58% in Mahotari (Aasaman Nepal, Each Child Monitoring Report 2003).
Due to low social status of women in this region, girls and children of marginalized group in particular are deprived of education. ‘Poverty’ is often cited as the reason, however, even the government of Nepal admits its one of the major reasons as ‘low quality of basic primary education at government schools.’ The lack of budget, proper monitoring by the central government, politicized teachers appointment and performance appraisalultimately contribute to low educational status.
Under these circumstances, it is important that parents and community people become aware of their rights to education, and to take action for improving the schools by themselves. By establishing and activating SMC (School Management Committee) which consists of parents, teachers, VDC (Village Development Committee) members etc., and by increasing the capacity of SMC through planning of school improvement plan and local resource mobilization, regular sensitization of the SMC members and teachers, awareness-raising of parents, and direct involvement of District Education Office through joint planning, implementation and monitoring, the educational situation for children in the region will be sustained even after the project term.
Project Objective / 1. Establish social norms that no child should work and all children should be in school.
2. Bring all children to school.
3. Increase the retention of children in school
Main Activities / -Capacity building and sensitization of stakeholders (workshop, meeting, training, etc.)
-Sensitization to the various stakeholders on implication of child labor and importance of girls education
-Continue motivation and follow up
-School enrollment campaign
-Conduct bridge course and other alternate education programs (SOP--School Outreach Program)
-Dispatchment and development of volunteer teachers at school level and tole tutors at community level
-Advocacy for timely and adequate distribution of text books and scholarship, adequate number of teachers including female teachers
-Improvement of physical infrastructure of schools
-Formation and facilitation of child committees at school
-Celebration of various days to sensitize on education, child rights, child labor, early marriage and birth registration issues
-Resource mapping and sensitization for proper utilization of local resources
Expected Outcomes / -Stakeholders (SMC, parents, teachers, VDC authorities, education officials, youths, local leaders) realize the importance of education for children and become aware of their roles, and to gain capacity for sustaining the project.
-90% of children aged 5-14 in the project area are enrolled in school
-70% of children enrolled at the beginning of the school academic year will complete primary education cycle
Target Group and Number / 78 schools, 54,945 children aged 5-14 (Each Child Monitoring Report, 2003), SMC, parents, teachers, community people, VDC officials
Implementation Structure of the Project
(Direct operation or partnership?
If partnership, name of organization) / School Management Committee mainly implements the project, Aasaman acts as a facilitator, and Save the Children Japan provides funds.
Partnership: Save the Children Japan

<Community Participation According to Activity>

1. School Management
●Does the Community Participate? Yes ■ No □
●Level of Community Participation:
- Community takes the main initiative □
- Depending on the situation, both community and NGO takes the initiative ■
- NGO takes the main initiative □
●Mode of Community Participation
(Who, what, how?) / -School Management Committee (SMC) is established in each school for managing the school and improving the quality of education.
-Children’s Committee is established in each school for discussing various issues concerning school, enrollment of children and their regular attendance, health and sanitation, educational learning and other promotional aspects.
-Mobilize local resource for school management.
●Activities/Approaches for Promoting Community Participation / -Awareness-raising and capacity building of SMC, parents, teachers, children through training, interaction meeting, workshop and exposure visits
●Advantages of Community Participation to the Project / -Increased ownership and sense of responsibility, thus increasing sustainability and efficiency
●Challenges and Problems / -Level of capacity and commitment of SMC vary according to school
-SMC tends to represent only powerful members of the community due to their high level of representation and influence at all levels
-Relationship between SMC and teachers is problematic in some schools
-Less Dalit peoples’ and women’s representation and participation in the SMC
-Children’s voices are difficult to be reflected in school management
-Presently formation of the SMC through election (according to government Education Act) has been seen problematic due to politicization by the local leaders to bring persons of their favor in the SMC body to have control over decision making
●Others