Saturday, March 29, 2008

Chapters of final report

1. It is noted that there is a similarity between basic infrastructure facilities in schools and at home. This is specially in drinking water source, toilets and electricity.

2. In considering role of socio-economic status on changes in attitude towards school infrastructure quality, socio-economic status scoring categories are developed to make individual differences in SES scores. It is noted that SES scores do not vary with gender, religion and blocks. It differs with districts only. Maldah district possessed highest and North 24 pgs lowest sco

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Visit to Sandeshkhali block -1

In the early morning, Dinabandhu introduced me with Mafijul Laskar. Mr. Laskar introduced me with Mr. Moslem Shaikh Pradhan, Panchayet Pradhan of Sarberia. He shows empathy to our cause of study. For his help, we could collect data from one school of Sandeshkhali block 2.
In Bhatida Mallikpara school, I talked to students of class III. There I met very some good students. One student named Sabina Khatun told me that she would recite 2 poems if I recite one. Finally, I recited poem of 'Kumor parar garur gari' and she recited 2. One is about the analogy with sun.
I told them to write school name and own name. One student could write correctly. His name is Giasuddin. Giasuddin has no private tutor and he studies to one of his friend's mother. It is strange that his friend studies to private tutor and he committed mistake in writing correctly.
At afternoon we went to Nyazat. BDO suggested one school but did not find any student there. It was 3-00 pm. there.
We returned to Kolkata at 8 PM.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Visit to Sandeshkhali block -2

Sandeshkhali is 77km away from Kolkata. Many buses are going from kolkata, Barasat, Basirhat etc. for Dhamakhali. One can go to Sandeshkhali from Dhamakhali by boat. Bus timing is here:
http://www.bloom9.com/info/long_distance_bus_routes.asp

10.3.08
At 7:30, Mr. Ashoke Saha came to my place with car. He is a very nice person. Once he worked with Professor R.L.Brahmachari who worked on Pheromone of Tiger. At 8-15, I took Amrita, my project assistant from her place. The car moved on the following route : Ghatakpur>Malancha>Dhamakhali. Mr. Nirapada Sardar (Sabhapati) arranged our accomodation at Dhamakhali guest house. It is a very nice area, having beautiful park, almost like one resort nearby choto kalagachia river. Taking lunch and keeping our luggage there, we started for Sandeshkhali block 2. Mr. Sardar sent Mr.Dinabandhu to assist us. Once, he worked under one Professor of IIM., Ahmedabad for researches on self help group.

We crossed the choto kalagachia river by boat. Initially, we met BDO. Next Sabhapati mahashay and next SI of schools. SI suggested one school and we started for that school by rickshaw van. The road is muddy and narrow. At any time, we may fall down. In some places, we got down from van and walked. Road is passing through villages. School is on the low land.

We have seen mid day meal status. Students are taking meals with rice and curry. We are shocked as no dal is served and the curry is almost dried. Students find difficulty to take the meals. Some students do not take it but keep them aside for home. They have no uniform. Their bodies are almost uncovered. Their faces are pale. They are not jolly. School condition is very poor, roofs are made of tiles and walls are made of brick, floor is not pucca. Recently, school has got some funds from SSA. TLMs are kept in HM's house nearby. Book bank is also in his house. This is due to high insecurity at night. After taking meals, students left out so we can not collect data from students through questionnaire. Amrita interviwed the teachers and filled up school report card.

Here school starts at 11 and closes at 2-30 or 3 PM. Teachers find that this is due to teachers who are coming from far away. Some are from Naihati/Barasat/Barrackpur etc. They may miss bus or kheya if they leave school at scheduled hour, i.e., 5 PM.

In Sandeshkhali, I find good competition between SSK and Primary school system. One interesting thing I observed is employment of teachers for disabled students. 3 teachers are recruited for educating primary school teachers. At 5, we came to Dhamakhli by crossing river. Mr. Saha is waiting for us at the ghat.

Websites:
Map in Google
Wikipedia


Bye now.