ENABLING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT THROUGH INVOLVEMENT OF GRAM PANCHAYATS, SCHOOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES PROGRESS REPORT APRIL 2011 – MARCH 2012 Submitted to Sir Dorabji Tata Trust MVF 201, Narayan Apartments Marredpally (West), Secunderabad-500 026 (+91)-40-2780 1320, 2770 0290 (+91)-40-2780 8808 (fax) Email: mvfindia@gmail.com GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED MVF Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation RTE Right to Education CRPF Child Rights Protection Forum REPC Right to Education Protection Committee TFCR Teachers’ Forum for Child Rights NCPCR National Commission for Protection of Child Rights DEO District Education Officer MEO Mandal Education Officer SI Sub-Inspector MPDO Mandal Parishad Development Officer KGBV Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya SRTC Short-term Residential Training Centre NRBC Non-Residential Bridge Course Centre MRP Mandal Resource Person VO Village Organisation MLA Member of Legislative Assembly VRO Village Revenue Officer RTI Right to Information UPS Upper Primary School HS High School SMC School Management Committee PD Project Director RVM Rajiv Vidya Mission ICDS Integrated Child Development Scheme CDPO Child Development Project Officer CD Compact Disc BC Backward Caste SC Scheduled Caste CWSN Children with Special Needs PO Project Officer PS Primary School NGO Non-Governmental Organisation ZPHS Zilla Parishad High School DSP Deputy Superintendent of Police APM Asst. Project Manager IKP Indira Kranthi Patham MMS Mandala Mahila Samakhya MPP Mandal Parishad President NREGS National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme GO Government Order PET Physical Education Teacher ZPTC Member – Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency SUMMARY The year saw two major developments – the expiry of the Gram Panchayat’s term and the formation of the SMCs. Both of these events took place during the latter half of the year. Village Special Officers replaced the outgoing Sarpanchs. The volunteers interacted with them regularly and introduced the organisational agenda to them. They were also actively involved in all campaign activities. SMCs were formed in 235 villages and the members oriented on the RTE Act, the structure of the SMC and their roles and responsibilities in the context of effective implementation of the Act and strengthening schools. These sessions were held separately for the members and for chairpersons. Community meetings were held on an ongoing basis in all mandals with the REPC, the CRPF,VOs, the TFCR, youth, adolescent girls and Child Committees to educate them on the provisions of the RTE Act and to discuss a wide range of issues being addressed by the campaign. Key decisions were taken on the basis of these discussions and followed up. In all, 598 orientation sessions were organised for 13,829 stakeholders at the mandal/village levels on the RTE Act, Corporal Punishment, Quality Education, the RTI Act, Child Marriage, Girl Child Education and rights of CWSN. 5906 children from 24 schools were also oriented on the RTE Act. Three division level orientation sessions were also organised for 669 REPC and CRPF members in addition. 88 group motivation drives were taken up with the involvement of the volunteers, organisers and mandal in-charges to reach out to child and bonded child labourers. 118 children were reached out to in this manner. Officials of the Labour and Revenue Departments, MPDOs, MEOs and Panchayat Secretaries also took part in enforcement drives to reach out to such children. The REPC and the CRPF supported all campaign activities taken up by the volunteers. Efforts were also made to reach out to immigrant children. Issues relating to school infrastructure were highlighted through the media. 821 petitions were submitted to the Education Minister, the NCPCR and officials at various levels in the context of violation of the RTE Act. The officials responded positively in some cases and took steps to improve school infrastructure. 272 rallies were held with the participation of 49,219 people. Slogans were written at 3250 public locations to highlight issues being addressed by the campaign. A campaign CD brought out by the government was telecast in 46 villages to reach out to community on the RTE Act. 34,000 campaign pamphlets, including 13,500 sponsored by community, were disseminated. Nearly 11,000 people witnessed 46 cultural performances taken up as part of the campaign. The REPC and the CRPF undertook 232 school monitoring visits in two spells and shared the outcomes with head teachers and suggested ways and means of improving their performance. They regularly visited hostels of the project area and took problems that they had identified during their school and hostel visits to the notice of officials. The CRPF played a key role in raising funds of more than Rs.Seven Lakhs from community groups for school development. 181 people from across the length and breadth of the country visited the implementation site to have a firsthand idea of the intervention. The volunteers, the REPC and the CRPF participated in school enrolment drives at the commencement of the new academic year to ensure that all children were sent to school in accordance with the provisions of the RTE Act. 1273 boys and 1502 girls aged 6-8 were directly enrolled in school. 828 boys and 190 girls that were irregular to school were also followed up to the exams. An intensive campaign was launched to wean away children from private to government school, covering 1181 children in the process. The Residential Bridge Course Camp that was operational in Aloor village of Chevella mandal was closed down in line with the norms of the RTE Act. 60 girls that had been enrolled there were shifted to local schools. 33 out of a total of 55 child marriages that had been proposed were prevented through the joint efforts of the volunteers, the ICDS and the CRPF. More than 1000 adolescents and adults were oriented on the ill effects of child marriage in Chevella during March 2012. Invitees included representatives of the NCPCR and officials of the police department. 2220 adolescent girls participated in various competitions held as part of National Girl Child Day at the school and the mandal levels. 60 review meetings were convened at the Panchayat level to address issues relating to education. Erstwhile Panchayat members also undertook 15 monitoring visits to school. They raised a total of 169 issues during mandal level General Body meetings in addition. Data relating to children aged 514 years are being displayed in 119 Gram Panchayat offices of the project area. Births and marriages are being registered in 1-1 and 65 Panchayats respectively. SMCs were formed in 235 villages with 5705 members. Active members of the REPC and the CRPF were urged to compete for the posts of vice-chairperson and members. Subsequent to the formation of SMCs, the members were oriented on the SMC’s structure, the RTE Act and their roles and responsibilities vis-à-vis implementation of the RTE Act. Mandal level orientation sessions were also held for all chairpersons soon after the SMCs were formed. The members later undertook three rounds of visits to schools under their jurisdiction. They focused on infrastructure, implementation of the midday meal scheme and on quality education during these visits. They were joined by the REPC and the CRPF. Mandal level meetings were convened with the participation of the visiting teams and mandal officials to review the outcomes of the visits. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT Being out of school and denied the right to education, children are compelled to join the labor force resulting in vulnerability, marginalization, exploitation, impoverishment, and gross violation of human rights. It is important that children enjoy their right to education. At the same time, school going children face challenges in terms of overcrowded classrooms, inadequate physical amenities such as water, toilets, playgrounds, delays in issuance of textbooks, school fees and uniform and also insensitivity, even discrimination and are often subject to insults and corporal punishment. There is also the problem of over-reporting of children’s enrolment in schools. Indeed, it is important that children also enjoy their rights in school. At the level of the State, lack of institutional capacities of the education system to support a child’s continuance in schools without any disruption, over centralization and insensitivity of the schools to the challenges faced by the first generation learners are some of the factors that push children out of school. At the societal level, an atmosphere that tolerates child labor, child trafficking and child marriages and even justifies these practices as inevitable because the families are poor has an impact on perpetuation of violence on children and denial of their basic rights including right to education. The recent passing of the Act on “Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education” (RTE) Act in August 2009 makes it obligatory for the State to ensure that every child enjoys her/his Right to Education in a school as prescribed in its Schedule. It makes it mandatory that all barriers are addressed in the best interests of the children. More importantly, it assigns the role for Gram Panchayats and the school management committees as local authorities to monitor and implement to some extent the RTE Act. It is against this background that MVF launched an intervention in 5 mandals of Ranga Reddy District in Andhra Pradesh from April 2010 on with the below objectives: Create a social atmosphere in favour of children’s right to education and strengthen the education system to deliver its commitments in accordance with the RTE Act by building capacities of Gram Panchayats and SMCs to monitor the implementation of the Act Build capacities of NGOs and government functionaries for involvement of the community, Gram Panchayats and SMCs in taking forward the RTE PROGRAM FINDINGS One of the major findings of the project during the year was that there was no effective mechanism right from the village to the State level to redress grievances in the context of the RTE Act. The volunteers had not expected much response to the campaign from illiterate and poor parents but were pleasantly surprised when most of them began debating the issue in public and started pressurising schools to enrol their children in school without demanding fees or documents of any kind. Another key observation during the course of the year was that the government had issued guidelines for the formation of SMCs but not adequate focus had been placed on building their capacities. The volunteers, therefore, encouraged CRPF members with sufficient exposure to the campaign to get associated with the SMC so that they could strengthen the Committees. FULFILLMENT OF OBJECTIVES There has been sufficient progress in terms of achieving the desired objectives. Though the term of Sarpanchs has come to an end, the spirit of activism in them has not died down and they continue to take part in all campaign activities launched by the organisation. Some ward members and CRPF members have got associated with the newly formed SMCs and have taken upon themselves the task of constantly monitoring school functioning. The SMC members have been largely sensitised to their responsibilities and have been actively monitoring schools. Awareness has grown on the link between compulsory education and child rights and there is greater demand for quality education. At the same time, it might take some more time for the Village Special Officers that have replaced erstwhile Sarpanchs to internalise the agenda and special focus must be placed on involving them in the campaign to a greater extent. PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION Publicity and Awareness on provisions of RTE Act and entitlements of children Community Meetings Community meetings were held on an ongoing basis with members of the REPC, the CRPF, VOs, the TFCR, youth, adolescent girls and Child Committee members to discuss the following issues: Entitlements of children under the RTE Act The role of community in implementation of the RTE Act Petitions Quality Education School Infrastructure Child Marriage Child Labour School Retention Implementation of the Midday Meal Monitoring schools and Anganwadi Centres Migration Birth and Marriage Registration CWSN Campaign pamphlets containing basic information on the provisions of the RTE Act section wise were designed and distributed to community groups. Discussions were held on the key provisions of each section and the members were involved in brainstorming exercises to identify gaps in implementation of the Act. The roles of teachers, parents, local bodies, the SMC and the government were separately discussed during these meetings. The participants were informed that the Act had been passed more than 21 months ago but there had been little progress in the school situation. The below issues were identified: Most schools lacked physical infrastructure Most children had not been issued uniform Stationery had not been distributed to children in nearly all schools There was no adherence to the midday meal menu Eggs were not being served twice a week as per the norm The quantity of rice was insufficient Some children had also not been partaking of the meal Teachers were irregular in a number of cases No facilities were available for CWSN Children’s retention was a cause for concern in some schools The below decisions were taken at the end of these meetings: All villages would be freed of child labour Efforts would be put in to prevent child marriage Cases involving violation of the Act would to be taken to the notice of authorities at various levels Rallies would be held in all mandals to publicise the RTE Act Slogans advocating child rights and the RTE Act would be written at public locations in all villages Campaign pamphlets containing basic information on the RTE Act would be disseminated in all villages CDs containing information on key provisions would be telecast in all villages Detailed schedules were fixed for school visits by the REPC and the CRPF Problems being faced in school would be identified and petitions submitted to the MEO during Praja Darbar with copies marked to the Special Officer, the NCPCR State Representatives, the DEO, the PO-RVM, the District Collector and the NCPCR Meetings would be held with children and their parents on why children had not been partaking of the midday meal Lists of long absentees would be compiled and they would be followed up by the REPC, the CRPF and VOs with the help of teachers Children would be assessed for their learning levels and the outcomes shared with teachers and parents with the objective of plugging these gaps The Mandal CRPF was reconstituted in Shankarpally as a follow up of a decision taken during a meeting held on 10th April 2011 with 78 members. 11 members have been taken on to the Body. Motivation Group motivation drives were taken up with teams comprising the REPC, CRPF, youth, the local Panchayat member and the volunteer at the commencement of the new academic year. They visited the houses of children identified as out-of-school and held counseling sessions for the children and their parents. They were informed that the RTE Act had been passed to reach out to child labourers and that it provided for free education, uniform and stationery. Basic infrastructure has been promised by the government in all government schools. The losses associated with child labour were also highlighted and the parents were informed that they were bound by the RTE Act to send their children to school. The roles of the Gram Panchayat and the teacher were also highlighted. Lists of children aged 5+ years and children attending private school were also compiled. An intensive campaign was taken up to wean away children from private to government school. The merits of government schools against private schools were also highlighted through opinion leaders. Mandal officials participated in special drives taken up in all mandal headquarters. 6 immigrant children from Manneguda X-Roads, Pudur mandal were employed in food joints along the main road. A team of 2 REPC members, 3 CRPF members, 1 Sarpanch and 2 ward members spoke to the employers and informed them that the RTE Act held it illegal to employ children aged below 14 years. 2 children were subsequently released and repatriated to Kodangal, Mahabubnagar district and Lal Singh Thanda, Vikarabad mandal. 13 child labourers were identified in Shabad, Manmari and Mariapur in Shabad mandal. A 10-member team comprising of Sarpanchs, 4 CRPF and REPC members each and 3 volunteers took up a special drive and counseled the employers to free the children. They later submitted a petition along with the children’s list to the Tehsildar, the SI of Police, the MPDO and the MEO during the Praja Darbar. 6 of the children were eventually freed. 63 working children including 36 children working in shops, hotels, tea stalls, bakeries and mechanic sheds and in rag picking in the mandal headquarters were identified in Vikarabad. The Labour Officer, the Assistant Labour Officer, the CRPF, the REPC and volunteers undertook 2 special drives, during which 19 notices were served to employers and 6 cases filed against them. 3 children were shifted to camp at the end of this exercise. An Assistant Labour Commissioner, 2 Labour Officers, the Tehsildar, the MPDO, the MEO, 2 Panchayat Secretaries, 2 CRPF members and 3 volunteers undertook a special drive in Chevella town. They took along a list of 18 children and counseled their employers and parents. 7 children were thus freed and fines ranging from Rs. 7000-20000 imposed on 4 employers. Some press reporters were also invited to the drive The CRPF later suggested to the officials that they ought to convene a meeting with the children’s employers. A coordination meeting was also organised with mandal officials, the Labour department and the CRPF on 14th June, following which notices were served to 12 employers and court cases filed against an additional 6 of them. 6 children were withdrawn from work. The CRPF and the REPC members petitioned to the mandal officials that 3 children were employed in IBS Dhaba, Dontanpally in Shankarpally mandal. 2 Labour Officers, the CRPF, TFCR members, the Sarpanch and volunteers later conducted a raid, during which 3 notices were issued and penalty imposed on the employers. A survey of brick kilns in Shankarpally brought out that 18-school going children were employed in the industry. They were brought back to school. Some migrant children from Karnataka, Mahabubnagar and Orissa were also identified. The table below provides details of the special drives and their outcomes: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Special Drives 15 24 12 7 30 88 Children freed 27 27 29 11 24 118 Newly posted District Collector Ms.Amrapali had asked the MEO of Shabad mandal to give her the list of child labourers in the mandal but he claimed that there were no child labourers. The mandal incharge coincidentally met her during her visit to PS Aspalliguda during January 2012 and told her that he had details of out-of-school children in the mandal. She took the list from him and convened a meeting of head teachers on 20th January to discuss the situation with them. She was convinced that the in-charge had provided her with the right information and later undertook visits to Aspalliguda, Hayatabad Thanda and Pothugal Thanda. Three girls from these villages were enrolled in KGBV. A survey of migrant children was taken up in Nagarguda, Shabad mandal with the participation of the Sarpanch, the CRPF, the Secretary, a teacher and the REPC Convener. 18 migrant families were identified through this exercise. 2 High School dropouts from the village were brought to school in addition. 6 rag pickers in Patelguda, Shabad were followed up through a joint effort by the head teacher and the organisers. 2 girls were also sent to KGBV. A list of 42 child labourers was compiled in Madduru and submitted to the Tehsildar, who had been appointed Special Officer. He held a Grama Sabha to discuss the issue. 3 children working in a cotton field in Madduru Thanda were freed from work. A boy from Nizampet Medipally, Pudur mandal began working as a wage labourer after a local lured him with an offer of access to a personal mobile phone. He had been working for a month when the REPC members identified his case. The boy had dropped out of Class 6. A former Sarpanch was involved in the issue and he, along with the members, freed the boy. One of 3 girls belonging to a family in Kothapally was molested by a local youth and all 3 girls were withdrawn from school. Some youth and the REPC members convinced her parents to send them back to school after 2-3 sessions of counseling. 8 tribal children that had migrated to Maharashtra from Tirumalapur Thanda were followed up to SRTC and are presently studying in a hostel. One girl from Nancherla had dropped out of school and wanted to get readmitted but the head teacher did not agree to this. The REPC members arranged for her to be enrolled in KGBV Manneguda. 32 children from Beggars’ Colony, Ramaiahguda in Vikarabad town were highly irregular to school, as they were engaged in selling metal scrap. A special drive taken up to reach out to them and their parents counseled to enrol them in an NRBC set up under the National Child Labour Project. The parents of 12 children sent them to the NRBC though they were unwilling to enrol them in formal school. The REPC members also spoke to the scrap merchants and asked them not to make any purchases from the children. REPC and CRPF members in Shankarpally spoke to some cottonseed companies and owners of food joints, urging them to free some children that they had employed. They also contacted Child Line 1098. 6 children were identified but their employers claimed that they were overage. The case is being followed up. 6 immigrant children from one family were willing to get admitted in hostel but they were not given seats. A letter was written to the Tehsildar, who got them admitted in a private hostel. They are pursuing their education from the local government school. 12 girls were enrolled in KGBV. A special drive was taken up in 3 villages with high incidence of child labour, namely Chevella, Alur and Thangadpally. 35 immigrant children were identified in Chevella but they used to change their place of work at least once a month. A door-to-door campaign was undertaken in the other villages and 23 children enrolled in school. 2 tribal children working as domestic helps in Langer Houz were followed up to KGBV Chevella based on a tipoff by a former camp student from Kandada, who is currently employed as an advocate. A survey was taken up in Chevella mandal to identify migrant children. Forty one migrant children were identified in and around Chevella town. The details of these children were shared with the Tehsildar and the MPDO. It was, however, not easy to reach out to the children because they shifted their place of residence frequently – usually once in a half-year. The volunteers are taking up 2-3 group motivation drives every month in Shankarpally. They identified 6 child labourers and took them along to the Police Station. Their parents and employers were summoned to the Police Station and the children were counseled, following which 3 of them joined in camp. The employers of the other children were asked to get the children enrolled in the schools in their native villages and report to him on the status of their education. The volunteers in Vikarabad mandal networked with likeminded NGOs in Vikarabad mandal and actively involved them in the campaign. One constable each has been posted as Child Welfare Officer in all 8 Police Stations of the mandal. These functionaries are being involved in all activities taken up by the volunteers. The crew of television news channel HMTV were invited to visit 2 schools of the project area, where they interacted with children on the problems that they were facing by due to lack of toilets and bathrooms. Special efforts were made during September to strengthen the capacities of the CRPF and the REPC. Active members were identified in all mandals and they were given intensive inputs on their role in school monitoring. The efforts put in by the volunteers to strengthen government schools have paid off and hundreds of children have been shifted from private schools to these schools, the details of which are as below: Mandal Pudur Vikarabad Shankarpally Shabad Chevella Total Children 227 143 212 223 376 1181 Campaign against child marriage Special efforts were put in by the CRPF and the REPC to prevent the occurrence of child marriage. They interacted on an ongoing basis with adolescent groups, Anganwadi Workers and school-going children to keep track of such incidents and addressed them on a priority basis, involving the mandal officials where necessary. A Girl Child Rights Protection Forum was formed at the mandal level in Shabad with 13 members as a follow up of a decision made during a meeting on child marriage, education and trafficking. 52 cases of child marriage were identified and 33 successfully solved, the details of which are as under: Mandal Identified Prevented Vikarabad 5 9 Shankarpally 15 6 Chevella 4 2 Pudur 15 6 Shabad 13 10 Total 52 33 An orientation session on the ill effects of child marriage, discrimination against the girl child and girl child foeticide was convened in Boys’ ZPHS Aloor, Chevella mandal on 21st March 2012 with the participation of nearly 550 members and more than 500 children from Chevella, Shankarpally, Pudur, Nawabpet, Shabad and Moinabad mandals. Key participants included NCPCR State Representative Mr.Y.Rajendra Prasad, DSP Ms.Shilpavalli, MPDO Ms.Ratnamma, SI of Police Mr.J.Upender, Dr. Srinivas of Chevella Civil Hospital, Aloor Market Cooperative Society chairperson Mr.Krishna Reddy and APM – IKP Ms.Manjula Vani. Presentations were made on child marriage legislations, domestic violence against women, the problem of dowry and gender equity. The volunteers sang inspirational songs. Mr.Y.Rajendra Prasad informed that all sections of society are equally responsible for preventing child marriage. The DSP spoke on the adverse impact of child marriage on the overall wellbeing of the girl child. She offered all cooperation from her side. The doctor shared his experiences with victims of child marriage and spoke on the health effects of child marriage. The APM promised to involve the MMS and VOs in the agenda of preventing child marriage. The SI of Police arranged a magic show and mimicry on the occasion. He also sponsored 1000 campaign pamphlets. He called upon the members present to inform him whenever they came across a case of child marriage. Elected representatives came forward to meet the costs of logistical arrangements. School Enrolment Details of out-of-school children were gathered from head teachers. The volunteers and the SubCommittees later undertook a door-to-door motivation drive taking along the lists that they had prepared, to bring back these children to school. They met the children’s parents and identified the reasons for their wards’ dropout/withdrawal from school. Panchayat members were also involved in the counseling sessions. The teams also met parents of children with learning gaps and counseled them to send their children to school, guaranteeing quality education. Adolescent girls were given inputs on the importance of girl child education. The merits of government schools over private schools were highlighted. Parents were informed that government schools also taught English and that they ought to send their children there. The School Reopening Day was used as a platform to forge links between the Sub-Committees and teachers. Sarpanchs were also met and asked to take steps to strengthen schools. Rallies were held in all schools with teachers and children and the need for all children aged 6-14 to be in school was publicised. People were assembled in the village square with help from VOs and village elders. Parents were urged to regularly attend parent-teacher meetings being held in school. The need to include parents of school-going children in SMCs was also emphasised, as it would help improve the record of enrolment and retention in school. VO meetings were held during Education Fortnight to pass resolutions to ensure the presence of all children in school. A message was sent across to all members that no minor girls must be married and that no loans must be given to perform such marriages. The details of children enrolled in school are as under: Mandal Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Vikarabad Total B (6-8) 203 352 209 249 260 1273 G (6-8) 307 368 247 317 263 1502 Total 510 720 456 566 523 2775 Examination follow up Meetings were held with head teachers, the CRPF, the REPC and youth from the first week of April on to discuss plans for ensuring that all children gave the annual exams. They personally visited all schools and collected details of absentees. This information was also cross checked with a database generated by the volunteers and follow up exercises taken up to reach out to such children. Interested children’s applications were also forwarded for appearance as private candidates. Mandal level meetings were held in Chevella separately with head teachers, the CRPF and the TFCR. The details of children followed up for the exams are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Irregular children Private appearance 116 187 226 125 174 828 92 6 18 42 32 190 3 married girls and some migrant children were among those giving the exams from Shankarpally. 48 children from Chevella mandal gave the Instant Exams. The children from Pudur mandal included one girl each from Mirzapur and Dandugatta that were due to be married. Their parents were counseled to permit them to give the exams. Press Meets Pres Meets were held on 8th June in Shabad and on 3rd June in Vikarabad with 15 and 20 members respectively. Participants included Convenors of the RTI, CRPF and REPC campaign committees. Discussions were held on the RTE Act, its implementation, status of functioning of government schools, taking ahead implementation of the Act and the role of media in the campaign. The activities that were proposed to be taken up during School Reopening Day were shared with them. The participants opined that it government teachers had not been devoting enough time to strengthen their schools. The need to change their attitude and to lay greater emphasis on the RTE Act was focused upon The meet in Shabad was followed up by a special drive, during which information was collected on how many teachers came regularly to school and how many did not. The members divided responsibilities between themselves and visited all schools in the mandal. They noted that 16 school teachers had not attended duty on the day of the visit. Petitions were submitted to the MEO in this regard. He took the teachers to task. Teachers in 10 schools have now become regular to their duties. Campaign against fees The CRPF and the REPC took steps to see to it that no school collected fees from children seeking admission or transfer. They pressurised head teachers not to charge children fees of any kind, as this would be in contravention of the RTE Act. 5 schools in Pudur mandal had been charging Rs. 5-21 per child. 3 of them returned the money budging to the pressure and the other schools did not return any money but did not collect money from children that were enrolled later. Rs.40-60 each were returned to children in 2 schools of Vikarabad mandal. Orientation Orientation sessions were held for stakeholder groups on the RTE Act. They were informed that the Act had been passed with the objective of providing all children 6-14 years with access to education. It has 7 Chapters and 38 Sections, of which Sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 39 are most relevant. The below are the key provisions of the Act: All children aged 6-14 shall have access to free education, uniform and stationery in neighbourhood schools The government shall make available basic infrastructure in all schools No fee shall be collected from any child whatsoever in a government school Ramps and other necessary arrangements shall be facilitated for differently abled children in school It is not binding on children to submit any certificate whatsoever at the time of admission and a parental declaration shall be taken as proof of the child’s age/date of birth The Gram Panchayat must display all information relating to children in the Panchayat Notice Board The government shall make free transport arrangements for children attending school at a distance of more than 3 kilometres Private schools must not collect Capitation Fee or conduct eligibility tests. A penalty of up to Rs.25000/- shall be levied in case a test is held and an amount of 10 times the Capitation Fee shall be recovered where applicable No teacher shall resort to corporal punishment No teacher shall undertake non-teaching duties other than Census Duty, Election Duty and Relief Activity Incidents involving violation of the Act can be referred to the NCPCR, the District Collector, the DEO, the MEO or the Gram Panchayat The members were also informed that the custom of child marriage is one of the major causes for ineffective implementation of the RTE Act. Some members opined during the feedback sessions that instruction in the English medium could help enhance enrolment and retention levels in school. They also discussed the poor academic standards of their children, teacher irregularity, unavailability of basic infrastructure in schools and inaccessibility to public transport. Orientation sessions were held for stakeholder groups on various issues being addressed by the campaign. The details of training sessions held are as under: Mandal Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Pudur Vikarabad Group REPC CRPF Parents Youth VOs TFCR Mixed Group REPC CRPF Parents Sessions 5 4 4 3 9 1 1 22 30 90 Members 45 204 200 45 350 17 65 250 350 2700 TFCR 3 45 VOs Mixed Group 1 2 45 20 Adolescent Girls 15 750 REPC CRPF Youth 49 85 62 569 901 934 VOs 30 900 Parents 75 1875 TFCR 5 83 Adolescent Girls 22 1346 REPC CRPF Youth VOs 1 6 8 15 40 97 190 315 Adolescent Girls 2 320 REPC CRPF Youth 21 3 12 500 90 260 CWSN 1 120 11 598 203 13829 VOs Total Agenda RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act, Corporal Punishment RTI Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act, Corporal Punishment, Quality Education RTE Act, Child Marriage RTI Act Child Marriage, Girl Child Education, Health RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act Child Marriage, Girl Child Education RTE Act RTE Act, Corporal Punishment, Quality Education Child Marriage, Girl Child Education RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act Child Marriage, Girl Child Education RTE Act RTE Act RTE Act, Corporal Punishment Rights of CWSN, RTE Act, RTI Act RTE Act, Child Marriage 2 division level orientation sessions were held for REPC and CRPF members from the project area, the details of which are as under: Date 23rd April 30th April Venue Vikarabad Shabad Shankarpally Pudur Chevella Total Mandal Dharur Camp Alur Camp Members 15 11 14 12 17 69 Issues covered under the training programme include the RTE and the RTI Acts, provisions of the RTE Act, class wise academic skills, SMCs, identifying problem issues, petitioning, display of information boards in all government offices and the role of the REPC in the campaign. MVF Training Coordinator Dhanunjay and State Resource Person Anand provided the resource on 23 rd April 2011. District Coordinator Narasimha and Anand provided the resource on 30 th April 2011. Orientation sessions were held on the following issues for children from Classes 6-10 in UPS and HS of the project area: Corporal punishment Children’s entitlements under the RTE Act Method of petitioning through the RTI Act Free education without fees Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation Formation of SMCs with parents 25% quota in private schools for children from economically backward classes TFCR members actively supported the volunteers in this exercise. Teachers, MVF staff and the REPC provided the resource. The details of schools and children oriented are as follows: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Schools 8 6 5 2 3 24 Children 1093 1323 240 2400 850 5906 A district level meeting was organised at Shankarpally on 7th September 2011 with the participation of nearly 600 REPC members. They reviewed the progress of their activities and mutually shared the problems that they had faced during their school visits. They also spoke in detail on violations in the context of the RTE Act. National Convener of MVF R.Venkat Reddy and NCPCR State Representative Y.Rajendra Prasad addressed the members on the occasion. It was resolved at the end of the meeting that petitions would be submitted to the NCPCR and to district level officials on the steps to be taken to strengthen schools with special reference to adherence to the RTE Act. Petitions The CRPF and the REPC submitted petitions to authorities at various levels on issues relating to violation of the RTE Act and children’s rights, the details of which are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Petitions Recipient 195 NCPCR, Education Minister, Chief Secretary – Education, District Collector, DEO, Deputy DEO, Special Officer, Tehsildar, MPDO, MEO, PD – RVM 196 NCPCR, Education Minister, Chief Secretary – Education, District Collector, DEO, Deputy DEO, Tehsildar, SI, MPDO, MEO, Sarpanch 143 NCPCR, Education Minister, Chief Secretary – Education, District Collector, Deputy DEO, Special Officer, Tehsildar, MPDO, MEO, PD – RVM, CDPO – ICDS, Indira Kranthi Patham Area Coordinator Issues Reopening defunct school, Additional teachers, admission fees, infrastructure, restrictions on teachers’ deputation to other villages, travel allowance, kitchen shed, SMC formation, supply of free stationery, quota for poor children in private schools, training of SMC members, Corporal Punishment, implementation of midday meal scheme, child labour, irregularity of teachers, facilities for CWSN, birth and marriage registration. School infrastructure, Capitation Fees, transport allowance, teacher irregularity, schools without permission, child labour, uniform, supplies of school books, quota for poor children in private schools, Corporal Punishment, implementation of midday meal scheme, facilities for CWSN, birth and marriage registration. Additional teachers, admission fees, infrastructure, restrictions on teachers’ deputation to other villages, travel allowance, kitchen shed, SMC formation, supply of free stationery, quota for poor children in private schools, training of SMC members, Corporal Punishment, implementation of midday meal scheme, child labour, irregularity of teachers, facilities for CWSN, birth and marriage registration. Pudur 163 Shabad 124 Total 821 NCPCR, Education Minister, Chief Secretary – Education, District Collector, DEO, Road Transport Corporation Depot Manager, Deputy DEO, Special Officer, Tehsildar, MPDO, MEO, PD – RVM NCPCR, Education Minister, Chief Secretary – Education, District Collector, DEO, Deputy DEO, Tehsildar, SI, MPDO, MEO, Sarpanch School infrastructure, upgrading schools, additional teachers, transportation charges for children, public transport facility, training of SMC members, Corporal Punishment, implementation of midday meal scheme, child labour, irregularity of teachers, facilities for CWSN, birth and marriage registration Additional teachers in 19 schools, infrastructure, restrictions on teachers’ deputation to other villages, private school fees, kitchen shed, SMC formation, child and bonded child labour, action against unrecognised schools, training of SMC members, Corporal Punishment, implementation of midday meal scheme, child labour, irregularity of teachers, facilities for CWSN, birth and marriage registration The outcomes of the petitions are as follows: Toilets and bathrooms were sanctioned in 10 schools of Shankarpally mandal Compound walls were sanctioned in 7 schools of Shankarpally mandal Four classrooms were sanctioned in 2 schools of Shankarpally mandal Ramps were constructed in 3 schools of Shankarpally mandal Drinking water facilities were provided in 27 schools of Shabad mandal Teachers that had been sent to other schools on deputation were repatriated in 5 schools of Shabad mandal A school was set up in Pedda Solipet village of Shabad mandal for 24 children Ten volunteers were recruited in schools of Shabad mandal Eight schools of Shabad mandal were sanctioned buildings An Engineer was instructed to prepare estimate for a school playground in PS Pedavedu, Shabad mandal The premises of PS Laxmaraoguda, Shabad mandal were cleaned through the NREGS A kitchen shed was constructed in PS Venkammaguda, Shabad mandal Toilets and urinals were sanctioned in Ubbagunta, Bobbiligama and Komarabanda, Shabad mandal Two child marriages were prevented in Shabad mandal as a follow up of petitions to the officials Uniform was distributed to 230 children from Chevella mandal Eggs are being served to children twice a week in 16 schools of Shabad mandal Lists of births and marriages registered were shared with the staff members in 14 Panchayats of Chevella mandal in response to a petition under the RTI Act Twelve toilets were sanctioned in Chevella mandal Four compound walls were constructed in Chevella mandal Six buildings were sanctioned in Chevella mandal An Engineer was deputed to prepare estimates for ramps in schools of Chevella mandal A school building was sanctioned in Malkapur, Chevella mandal Two education volunteers were posted in Chevella mandal Buildings were sanctioned in 5 schools of Vikarabad mandal Toilets were sanctioned in 5 schools of Vikarabad mandal Work on a compound wall was completed in Boorgupally village of Vikarabad mandal Ramps were constructed in Kottamgutta Thanda of Vikarabad mandal Five additional teachers were posted in schools of Vikarabad mandal Uniforms were distributed to children in 9 schools of Vikarabad school Three subject teachers were posted in Peddeumenthal, Pudur mandal Toilets and urinals were sanctioned in 4 schools of Pudur mandal A bonded child labourer was freed from work in Qutbullapur, Pudur mandal One teacher that had been sent on deputation was repatriated in Pudur mandal Public transport service to Pendlimadugu, Vikarabad was restored benefiting 15 children in the process. The defunct PS in Narayanpur, Vikarabad mandal was reopened and 75 children have been attending it. 3 schools pout up boards stating that they would not charge Capitation Fee. The UPS in Kadumuru and Nizampet Medipally, Pudur mandal were upgraded to the level of Class 8. Funds were sanctioned for water supply and the construction of a compound wall in Nizampet Medipally, Pudur mandal. One teacher was deputed to the school in Machanpally, Shabad through a petition. One MRP in Chevella was sent back to his posting in Kummera from the mandal headquarters following a petition to the MEO. Responding to a petition, the MEO of Shankarpally issued a circular instructing private schools to stop conducting eligibility tests failing which they action would be initiated against them. The Mandal CRPF had appended the copies of some fee receipts issued to a parent by Revathi High School. He sought an explanation from the school management in this regard. He also closed down an unrecognised school in Elwerthy and ordered the authorities of Gitanjali School, Parveda to discontinue Classes 8 and 9, as they had not sought the necessary permissions. Task Force Committee meetings A Task Force Committee meeting was convened in Shabad on 18th April 2011 to discuss bonded child labour, child marriage, the RTE Act, the status of review meetings and activities of the REPC. 6 children were freed from bondage after the mandal officials spoke to their employers and issued notices to them. 5 child marriages were also prevented through the officials’ intervention. The MPDO promised to ensure regular conduct of Panchayat review meetings. A Task Force Committee meeting was held in Vikarabad on 8 th April 2011 to focus on the problems of child labour and child marriage. 8 girls’ parents were counseled. 2 marriages were prevented in Madanpally through the involvement of the officials, the CRPF and the REPC. The Tehsildar called upon ICDS staff and Panchayat Secretaries to focus more on addressing the problem of child marriage. The term of the Sarpanchs ended in September 2011 and Special Officers replaced them. However, not many people from Shabad mandal were aware of this arrangement. The mandal in-charge took this issue to the notice of the MPDO. She accordingly convened a Task Force Committee meeting on 8th December 2011 with the participation of 35 members including the Mandal Special Officer, the MPDO, the Tehsildar, the MEO, Panchayat Secretaries, Village Special Officers and MVF staff. The Mandal Special Officer chaired the meet. The discussions focused on the status of child labour, birth and marriage registration, problems being faced in school, the need for Panchayat level review meetings, regularity of SMC meetings and public display boards with data on children aged 0-18 in all Panchayats. A review meeting was convened in Shabad with representatives of all local institutions as a follow up. A Task Force Committee was held in Pudur on 9th March 2012 to discuss the issues of child labour and bonded child labour. The Tehsildar chaired the session. The Executive Officer – Rural Development, the MEO, ICDS staff, head teachers of High Schools, Panchayat Secretaries and VROs were present. It was observed that no proper information mechanism in the context of child marriage and that information was being received only a day or two before the conduct of the marriage. The Tehsildar called upon the ICDS staff to track child marriages regularly and urged Secretaries to register all marriages. Rallies CRPF, REPC and Gram Panchayat members, youth, elected representatives, VO members, political leaders, teachers, children and volunteers participated in rallies held across the project area to highlight the provisions of the RTE Act. They sang songs, chanted slogans and addressed community on the provisions of the RTE Act at central locations, involving opinion leaders. Rallies were also held on the occasion of Independence Day. The details of participants in rallies are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Rallies 60 48 50 42 57 257 Participants 11000 8880 8350 7900 10800 46930 Rallies were also organised in four mandals on 3rd December 2011 to mark World Disabled Day. These rallies were conducted late in the evenings with support from local NGOs and community groups. The details of rallies are as follows: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Shabad Total Rallies 2 5 4 4 15 Participants 571 743 554 421 2289 Wall Writings 20-70 slogans each were painted on walls at central locations in 88 villages of the project area to send across key messages in the context of child rights and the RTE Act. REPC, CRPF and Gram Panchayat members in all villages donated generously for the cause. Labour was contributed by local community in Pudur mandal. REPC members and women’s groups bore the cost of the paint and labour in some villages of Vikarabad mandal. Gram Panchayat members and REPC members sponsored labour in some villages of Shankarpally mandal. The details of wall writings are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Villages 21 18 32 12 5 88 Wall Writings 625 1600 615 300 110 3250 CD Presentation A CD brought out by the government to publicise the RTE Act was telecast during Grama Sabhas held in 46 villages across the project area as follows: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Villages 14 19 10 2 1 46 Community groups made logistical arrangements for the telecast and also provided the necessary televisions and video players. Pamphlets More than 40000 campaign pamphlets were distributed across the project area. Head teachers from 3 schools in Chevella mandal designed their own pamphlets and promised to strengthen their schools. They invited parents to enrol children in their schools. Teachers from 4 schools in Shabad mandal designed similar pamphlets and called upon parents to send children to their schools. In addition, CRPF and REPC members in 3 villages modified the pamphlet and printed them on their own. 1000 pamphlets were sponsored by youth in Keravelli, Pudur mandal. They took up a door-to-door drive and urged parents to send their children to government school, as the government had guaranteed free and compulsory education to all children aged 6-14 years. REPC and CRPF members contacted each ward member individually and handed over a copy of the campaign pamphlet to each of them. Arrangements were made to insert the pamphlets within the folds of daily newspapers in order to maximise outreach. The details of pamphlets distributed are as follows: Mandal Vikarabad Shankarpally Chevella Pudur Shabad Total Pamphlets 4000 7500 8500 9000 5000 34000 Contributed by community 3500 5000 5000 13500 Cultural Campaign Songs and games were used as a platform to educate community on the provisions of the RTE Act in all Panchayats of the project area. A skit was performed in 3 villages of Shabad mandal to highlight the merits of government schools vis-à-vis problems faced in private school and the merits of government schools. Nearly 600 people witnessed these performances. A cultural campaign was taken up in 4 mandals during February 2011 to publicise the RTE Act. The volunteers performed skits and sang songs in the school premises and in the village square. They also staged separate performances for children suffering from hearing disorders. The performances featured in schools during the daytime and in the villages during the evenings. The details of villages covered are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Performances 14 Participants 3018 Shankarpally 10 2507 Chevella 11 3493 Shabad 8 1251 Total 43 10369 Key participants MEO, CDPO, MRPs, State CRPF Co-Convener, District CRPF Convener, MEO, MRPs, former MPP, Mandal CRPF Convener and Co-Convener MEO, MRPs, Division CRPF Convener, Mandal CRPF Convener and Co-Convener District CRPF Co-Convener and Mandal CRPF Convener Girl Child Day Essay writing competitions on child marriage and health were organised on the occasion of National Girl Child Day on 24th January 2012 in Shabad. Traditional muggulu competitions, elocution and essay writing competitions featured in Chevella. Village elders and the CRPF addressed girls on the issues of health, girl child education and child marriage in Shankarpally. ICDS staff, CRPF and Gram Panchayat members gave away prizes. Mandal level events were organised in Shankarpally, Shabad and Vikarabad. The details of celebrations are as follows: Mandal Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Vikarabad Total Villages 8 schools from 7 villages Girls’ High School Girls’ High School 3 schools + 1 mandal Participants 600 450 470 700 11 schools + 3 mandal 2220 Key participants MEO, MRPs, TFCR members MEO, MRPs, CRPF members DSP, SI of Police, MEO, MRPs, CRPF State Committee member, CRPF District Convener, CRPF Town Convener REPC school visits School visits were taken up by the REPC and the CRPF in two spells. The first round focused on the status of infrastructure, collection of fees and the implementation of the RTE Act. The second visit focused on assessing learning levels. The children’s attendance during the assembly hour was noted. Their academic levels were assessed and the outcomes shared with head teachers based on a Summary Sheet used by the visiting team. Inputs were given to them on the weak areas of the children. The details of schools visited in the two spells mandal wise are as under: Mandal Pudur Vikarabad Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Total First Spell 33 28 27 30 51 169 Second Spell 16 8 13 20 6 63 The team members noted during their visit to Angadi Chittampally, Pudur that children from Class 3 could not write a leave letter properly. When asked to justify this, the teachers replied that they had no problem repeating any of the content from their textbooks. They were told that it was not sufficient for them to be able to memorise content – their capacities to write on their own ought to be built as well. Petitions were submitted in Nizampet Medipally for water supply and the construction of a compound wall. A bore well had been sanctioned and half the compound wall built by the next visit but the water was not potable. A petition was submitted to the NCPCR asking for another bore well to be dug. The head teacher of the school in Kandlapally has begun reporting regularly to his duties after being pulled up. No uniform had been issued in most schools of Vikarabad. A petition was submitted to the officials in this regard, following which uniform was supplied. The formation of children’s sub-groups was suggested to teachers on the basis of the visits and they were asked to take steps to convene meetings with the Academic Monitoring Committee and the SMC every month. Parents were urged to monitor their children’s learning levels. 96 children had been enrolled in PS Garib Nagar – Vikarabad but no building was available. The head teacher informed that a building had been sanctioned but no place was available anywhere with the exception of the High School premises, where there was some extra room. The issue was referred to the MEO, who got a No Objection Certificate from the head teacher of the High School. Letters were also written to the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad, the DEO and the Project Officer O – RVM. The process of transferring the rooms is underway. Implementation of the midday meals was streamlined in 17 schools of Chevella. The workers were spoken to in the head teachers’ presence and they were told that they had to maintain quality even though they had not been reimbursed their bills. One teacher each from Mirzaguda and Bastepur were absent during the visit. They claimed to have been deputed to the DEO’s office. However, the DEO maintained that he was ignorant of this fact. It was later noted that one of the teachers had proceeded on long leave without permission and the other had joined the DEO’s office but had not turned up there for 2 months. 6 schools of Shabad mandal had been facing shortage of teachers. The Telugu Pandit from UPS Bodampahad had gone on deputation to the mandal headquarters as MRP. A petition was submitted to the MEO. The same was the situation in Damarlapally, Machanpally and Hayatabad, where teachers had been sent on deputation. The new school building in UPS Bobbiligama had not been inaugurated, as the officials were unavailable. Animals were being tied in the backyard. The MEO was invited to the school and he finally inaugurated it. A local had donated some land to construct a compound wall around the school in Kummariguda but he got the toilets built in on his own land. He did not let the children use them. Some political leaders were involved in the issue and the problem has been solved. A teacher from the school in Damarlapally had an accident and did not turn up at school for 3-4 days. However, he failed to inform his higher-ups and the school was closed during that period. A Vidya Volunteer was later placed in charge of the school but the MEO was asked to send another teacher and he obliged by arranging a replacement. One of the three teachers from PS Hayatabad, where 155 children were enrolled, was on long leave and another of them was to retire on 30 th August. The issue was referred to the DEO, who got one teacher and volunteer each recruited there. Availability of water and toilets was a problem in most UPS and PS of Shankarpally. Petitions were submitted to officials at various levels. Quality of education was an issue of concern in 6 schools. The teachers were not regular and most of them had been missing the prayer hour. They were asked to turn up at school in time and to check how much of what was being taught was understood by the children. They have promised to change this by the next visit. The visiting team petitioned to the MEO after they noted that one of the two teachers in Fatehpur had been deputed to the mandal headquarters as MRP. A Vidya Volunteer has been recruited in place of the teacher. The teacher in charge of PS Janwada PS told the visiting teams that their presence was disturbing her, when they proposed to test the children, as they sat there until the afternoon. Some VO members were taken on a visit to the school in the second round but she stopped them. The issue was referred to the MEO, who asked her to let them test the children. The teacher at the school in Maharajpet Thanda has become regular to his duties after the MRP spoke to him following a petition to the MEO. Hostel visits The Mandal CRPF and Mandal REPC teams and the MVF organisers visited the BC (Boys) and SC (Boys) hostels in Pudur on 15th September. The BC Hostel had no proper building and lacked toilets, bathrooms and fans. The water was insufficient and not potable. The visitors also noted that the food that had been cooked during the visit was insufficient for the children. It was proposed to move the MPDO in this regard but he was unavailable on account of the agitation for a separate Telangana State. The team members have decided to submit the petition during the Praja Darbar. The warden in charge of the SC Hostel was a warden in-charge and not a full time warden. The visiting team found some worms in the food during their visit and rang up the warden, who was not around during the visit. She replied that she would report the next day. The hostel also had no lights and fans. The team has proposed to highlight these issues during the Praja Darbar. The REPC and CRPF members visited the SC (Boys), SC (Girls) and BC (Boys) hostels in Shankarpally. They noted during their visit to the BC hostel that one of the boys there was down with fever but none had been caring for him. They took the issue to the notice of the Deputy Social Welfare Officer, the Assistant Social Welfare Officer and the warden, after which the boy was sent to hospital. An in-charge warden had been posted to the SC (Boys) hostel. Everything was well there but the quality of food was poor. The SC Boys’ and SC Girls’ hostels in Shankarpally had a common warden. She was highly irregular, and used to report only once in a month or so. The watchman began shirking his duties, as a result of which standards of maintenance in both hostels were quite poor. The children staged a protest for 5 days at the MPDO’s office with support from political leaders, unions, the Mandal Special Officer, the Tehsildar and the MPDO. They personally tested the rice and the Dal and noted that they were of poor quality. The children pressurised the Special Officer to remove the warden and to also suspend one of the workers in the SC Boys’ hostel, as he had been forcing them to do small chores. The worker was removed from his duties and the warden was agreed to set right her ways. She has been relieved of her Boys’ Hostel duties now. Some auto rickshaws were being parked opposite the SC (Girls) hostel. There were some weeds in the vicinity of the hostel and the toilets were not in shape. The shutters of the Panchayat office, which was adjacent to the hostel, afforded anyone a good view of the bathrooms, as the wall was quite low. The warden was told of this and he got the height of the wall raised. The weeds have been removed and 5 toilets cleaned. The REPC and CRPF members undertook a visit to the BC (Girls) and SC – No. 2 (Boys) hostels in Vikarabad on 30th August. They noted that the SC hostel had been operating from a private building that had no toilets. Supply of water was short and not enough notebooks had been issued to children. They had also not received their cosmetics allowance. The members took the warden to task and he arranged for books to be supplied. The top floor of the Girls’ hostel had been leaking. No plates, glasses and blankets had been given to the children and they had received only one set of uniform. There was delay in release of allowances and some of them had not received their supply of notebooks. Toilets were unavailable. A petition was submitted to the Revenue Division Officer. A survey of 15 hostels brought out that the BC (Boys) hostel had no doors. The KGBV was housed in a decrepit building. The REPC and the CRPF visited the SC (Boys), SC (Girls) and BC (Boys) hostels in Chevella and the SC (Boys) hostel in Alur on 29th July. The stew in the BC hostel was quite thin stew. The hostel had no doors and windows. Water was unavailable and there were no health check up facilities. A petition was submitted to the Tehsildar. He visited the hostel the next day and saw that the children down with fever. He rang up the warden, who was absent during his visit, to first report to him and warned him of official action if he did not take his duties seriously. The warden got the bore well repaired. The quality of food is better now. Follow up visits were made to the hostels on 9 th August. The issue of stray dogs in Alur was taken to the notice of elected representatives during the Praja Darbar. The Panchayat office took immediate steps to rid the village of the menace by catching some dogs. The following are the other outcomes of the visits: Mandal Hostel SC Girls SC Boys Chevella BC Boys SC Boys – Aloor KGBV Shabad SC Boys Girls (General) Pudur SC Hostel BC Hostel Vikarabad No. I SC Hostel No. 2 SC Hostel KGBV Issue(s) Resolved Improved quality of food Leaking roof repaired, Water supply for toilets restored Unclean premises cleaned, Repairs to bore well Improved quality of food Electrical cables reset, Water tank cleaned Improved quality of meal Minor repairs, Toilets cleaned Improved quality of food Water problem solved – bore well replaced with hand pump One acre of land allotted for building Senior children had been forcing their juniors to wash their clothes – they were warned Adherence to midday meal menu Adherence to midday meal menu and Follow up of 5 dropouts Teacher regularity Regularisation of electrical supply Promise by MPDO to take up monthly visits to the hostel Release of money towards 2 months’ scholarship Improved quality of food and Teacher regularity Improved quality of food 30 irregular children attending Boys’ HS have become regular Release of personal allowance, Improved quality of food 10 irregular children attending PS have become regular Promise by officials to shift the KGBV to a new building in the next year Independence Day Independence Day was celebrated across the project area on 15th August. REPC Village Conveners were invited as the chief guests on the occasion. They spoke on provisions of the RTE Act and spelt out details of problems in the local schools. They called upon parents to attend all school level meetings. Donations were solicited from them for school development. The details of villages in which Independence Day was celebrated and of the value of their contributions are as under: Mandal Shabad Vikarabad Pudur Chevella Shankarpally Total Villages 20 15 10 25 12 82 Contribution (Rs.) 47,000 9,000 30,000 15,800 6,20,000 7,21,800 Residential Bridge Course Camp 60 children were shifted from the Residential Bridge Course Camp in Alur to KGBV in line with the norms of the RTE Act and the camp was closed down. Exposure Visits 181 people visited the project area during the reporting period, the details of which are as follows: Mandal Date 3rd April ‘11 11th April ‘11 2nd May ‘11 June ‘11 14th June ‘11 6th 12th July ‘11 3rd August ‘11 Shankarpally 26th August ‘11 25th Sept. ‘11 8th Nov. ‘11 22nd Dec. ‘11 24th Dec. ‘11 19th Jan. ‘12 19th Feb. ‘12 Feb. ‘12 14th March ‘12 27th 9th April ‘11 Chevella 13th Sept. ’11 21st Jan. ‘12 19th Feb. ‘12 9th April ‘11 Vikarabad 21st Sept. ’11 19th Feb. ‘12 3rd April ‘11 2nd May ‘11 25th Sept. ’11 Shabad 27th Oct. ‘11 Nov. ‘11 19th Jan. ‘12 19th 20th Feb. ‘12 9th April ‘11 21st Sept. ’11 Pudur 6th Jan. ‘12 18th Nov. ‘12 19th Feb. ‘12 Total Group NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Sujana Vani Foundation, Hyderabad NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Help International, USA Help International, USA Apeksha Homoeo Society, Maharashtra MSW Students – Bangalore Women’s groups Elected representatives – Assam The Elder International Foundation, London Researcher, California IAS Officer Srilaja, Delhi NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Bihar Priya – USA Gunjan – NCPCR NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Elected representatives – Bihar SSA – Rajasthan NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Bihar NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Elected representatives – Chhattisgarh, Bihar NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Bihar NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Assam NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Elected representatives – Chhattisgarh, Bihar International Labour Organisation SDTT Usha Roy – New Delhi NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Assam and Maharashtra NCPCR Bal Bandhu volunteers – Bihar Elected representatives – Maharashtra, Bihar Elected representatives – Gujarat NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Maharashtra NCPCR Bal Bandhus – Bihar Members Place visited 9 Proddutur 8 Proddutur 9 Parveda 7 6 Mahalingapuram Chandippa 18 Proddutur 24 Parveda, Mokila, Kondakal, Shankarpally Kothapally, Janwada 10 Parveda 6 Proddutur 1 1 1 Proddutur Shankarpally Shankarpally 15 Janwada 1 1 Shankarpally Kondakal 20 Pamena, Kammeta 10 Mudimyal 10 Pamena Ramannagudem, Antharam 2 18 12 Girgitpally 10 Madgul Chittampally 20 Pulumaddi, Chittampally 8 Bobbiligama 4 Nagarkunta 7 Kesaram 2 Hayatabad 2 1 Thallapally Kesaram, Bodampadu Bobbiligama, Thallapally, Hayatabad 30 9 Yenkepally 8 Angadi Chittampally 15 Angadi Chittampally 15 Keravelli 20 Yenkepally, NizampetMedipally 181 Organiser from Shankarpally Nagamani visited the project site of Lok Drishti, an NGO operational in Naupada district of Orissa, from 1st – 4th March 2012 to interact with staff members and community on various aspects of quality education. Senior organiser from Vikarabad Rameshwar attended a training workshop organised in Rajasthan on personality development. Institution building of Gram Panchayats to monitor children’s rights Review Meetings 60 Panchayat level review meetings were convened to discuss the functioning of local institutions with focus on their role in upholding children’s rights and effective implementation of the RTE Act. Issues discussed during the meetings include maintenance of a database of children aged 0-18 years by the Gram Panchayat, maintenance of a register in Model Panchayats, display of key information in the Panchayat office, birth registration and marriage registration. The details of meetings are as under: Mandal Vikarabad Chevella Shankarpally Pudur Shabad Total Meetings 9 11 11 12 17 60 Some parents informed during a review meeting in Thallapally, Shabad mandal that the head teacher had been unavailable for the last 3-4 days without intimation. The Sarpanch sent an official letter to the MEO, asking him to replace the teacher. Upon coming to know of this, the head teacher claimed that he had been down with ill health and promised to be regular. He has stuck to his words. The Anganwadi Centre has also been given a new building as a follow up of a decision taken during the meeting. The Worker has also begun attending to her duties regularly. 15 children were benefited in the process. The prayer was not being held regularly in Laxmaraoguda, Shabad mandal. Upon being informed of this during a meeting, the MPTC went to the school on 2-3 consecutive days. There was no change in the situation. He finally conducted the prayer hour himself. The head teacher reported at 11 a.m. on that day. The MPTC took the issue to the MEO’s notice. He instructed the MRP to handle the issue. The latter spoke to the head teacher and warned him, following which he has mended his ways The head teacher of the school in Ramannaguda, Chevella mandal was a sworn alcoholic and used to often turn up drunk at school, where he used to sleep in the classroom. Some parents complained to the Sarpanch during a review meeting and he spoke to the head teacher once or twice but to no avail. The Sarpanch then rang up the DEO and asked him to replace the head teacher. The MEO was invited to attend a review meeting, during which he warned the head teacher to mend his ways. A resolution was passed in the Panchayat earlier. The teacher has started attending his duties regularly and so have four other teachers from the school. The head teacher of the school in Singapuram, Shankarpally mandal informed that the school had 34 children but only one teacher. Shortage of water was another key issue of concern in the school. The Sarpanch provided a pipeline connection to the school and also got some earth dumped in the playground after being informed that it was being inundated during the monsoon. The Sarpanch of Parveda got some tall grass in the school compound cleared after being informed during a review meeting that the children had seen 2 snakes there. The playground was levelled in PS Angadi Chittampally, Pudur mandal after the issue was taken to the notice of the Sarpanch during a review meeting. The quality of water in the HS was not good and the children had not been drinking it. The head teacher discussed this issue during a review meeting, following which the Sarpanch provided a tap connection to the school. School visits The Panchayat level Sub-Committee members undertook 115 monitoring visits to schools of the project area, the details of which are as follows: Mandal Pudur Vikarabad Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Total Visits 20 18 19 19 39 115 The Sub-Committee members noted during a visit to HS Peddeumenthal, Pudur mandal that the school had 207 children but only 3 teachers. 2 volunteers had also been recruited from the village but more volunteers were needed. No teacher had been volunteering to get posted there. When contacted, the MEO informed that the school was not under his jurisdiction. A petition was submitted during the Praja Darbar. The officials promised teachers at the earliest. 5 teachers were recruited within a fortnight. The MEO gave a nod for adding Class 7 at the school in Kadumuru, Pudur mandal after a petition was submitted to him but he had ignored to forward the proposal o the Education Department. The examination question papers were not sent to the school as a result. The Sub-Committee members came to know of this during their visit and asked him to promptly submit the proposal, which he has agreed to do. 2 out of 3 teachers from Yenkepally, Pudur mandal had been sent on deputation. Petitions were sent to the NCPCR and the District Collector, asking for the teachers to be sent back to the school. 2 Vidya Volunteers were posted in the school but pressure is being maintained for the teachers’ re-posting. 2 classrooms had been partly built at the school in Regadi Mamidipally. The contractor was replaced after the newly formed REPC discussed the issue during a meeting following a school visit. The school in Erravally, Vikarabad mandal had only one teacher for 75 children. The members noted this during a visit and spoke to the MEO in this regard. He did not respond for a week, after which the Sub-Committee members staged a protest at his office and at the DEO’s office. 2 teachers were duly posted to the school. Teachers from the school in Pulumaddi requested the members to provide them with a television, as they had many educational CDs. The issue was referred to the MPTC, who promised to jointly sponsor Rs. 7000 along with a ward member. The issue is being followed up. Water connectivity has also been provided to the school. Toilets at the school in Madgul Chittampally, Vikarabad mandal were located at quite a distance from the school and children had problems accessing them. The Gram Panchayat sponsored Rs. 10000 from the funds to get the girls’ toilet repaired. The parents of 120 children from Athvelly and Jampur Thanda had been sending their children to other schools, as they were sceptical of the quality of education in the government school. The Sub-Committee members assured them of quality education and the teachers guaranteed results within a month. 90 children returned to the local school. They later articulated a demand for an additional teacher. Fees collected from some children in Sidduluru were returned after the children informed the Sub-Committee of this during their visit. The DEO and the MEO were involved in the issue. The Sub-Committee members noted during their visit to Smart Kidz, a private school in Nagarguda, Shabad mandal that adherence to the Act was nil except for the fact that the school had big rooms. The MEO had no idea of the existing state of affairs. A former Deputy Sarpanch, a former MPTC and the Secretary went along with the Division CRPF Convenor to the school and shared the findings of their visit with the MRP. The MRP later visited the school and gave the management a fortnight’s notice. A private school Sai Alekhya from Shabad mandal had organised Vinayaka Nimajjanam and had taken along the school children without their parents’ permission. One of the children, a student of Class 8 drowned in the water accidentally and died. The Sub-Committee and the CRPF highlighted the issue and staged a protest at the gate of the school, calling upon the school management to own up the responsibility. Compensation to the tune of Rs. 2.5 lakhs was finally agreed upon. Earlier, they had submitted a petition in the Praja Darbar. The DEO has issued orders to close the school. Petitions have also been submitted to him, asking him to order the closure of 5 unrecognised schools in the mandal in all. A 12-year old girl from Patelguda, Shabad mandal was studying in Class 4, as her father had withdrawn her from school long ago and had entrusted her with the task of grazing the family goats. She had been keen on studying and he obliged her to an extent by permitting her to leave them nearby the school. Everything was fine until some wild dogs came and bit one of the goats one day. Her father beat her up badly and asked her to work until the cost of the goat was recovered. The SubCommittee came to know of the issue during a visit and counseled him to let her study. The case is being followed up. 17 children from Pedavedu Thanda, Shabad mandal had been commuting to Hayatabad and Madduru but were not being conveyance in line with the norms of the RTE Act. Having observed this during a visit, the Panchayat members convened a meeting with their parents and also planned to submit a petition during Praja Darbar. Auto rickshaw facility has been arranged for them and each child pays Rs. 100 a month. No teachers were present at the school in Parveda, Shankarpally during the Sub-Committee’s visit. The head teacher was on long leave and 2 teachers had gone on leave later. The MEO was contacted over phone and he sent a teacher from another school on deputation. The members, however, wanted to know what would be done to replace the other teachers. The issue was raised during a discussion at the Mandal Resource Centre. The head teacher vented her anger at the REPC and the officials. The MEO took her to task and got 2 volunteers appointed in the school. The District Collector made it clear that he would institute an inquiry and act against the head teacher if she had misrepresented the cause for her absence from school. 9 teachers had been posted in Tangaturu, Shankarpally mandal. Only 5 of them were available during the visit by the Sub-Committee. One of them had been deputed to the DEO’s office and 2 were on maternity leave. Yet another of them was down with 1 ill health. The members mobilised some VO members and parents and met the head teacher. The head teacher informed that the DEO had not instructed him in writing to send the teacher and that she herself was to blame partly for the state of affairs. The issue was referred to the Home Minister, the District Collector and the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad. It is being followed up. Mandal General Body meetings The following issues were raised by Sarpanchs and other elected representatives during mandal level General Body meetings: Issue Accommodation Teachers’ deputation Infrastructure Anganwadi Centres Total Shankarpally 8 Chevella 13 Pudur 5 Shabad 14 Pudur 15 Total 55 6 6 3 5 7 27 10 20 9 12 11 62 5 2 3 8 7 25 29 41 20 39 40 169 The term of the Gram Panchayat ended in September 2011 and Special Officers replaced Sarpanchs. These Officers were involved in all campaign activities launched by the organisation. They were also urged to engage with the SMC on an ongoing basis. Meetings are being held at the mandal level with the participation of the Mandal Special Officer and all mandal level line departments once a fortnight to specifically discuss sanitation and monthly to discuss all developmental issues at the village level. Eight Panchayat level Education Sub-Committees that had been formed in Shankarpally under GO No. 2 were highly inactive. The volunteers reconstituted these Sub-Committees. Display Boards with data relating to children aged 5-15 years are being put up in 119 Panchayats of the project area as under: Mandal Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Pudur Vikarabad Total Panchayats 27 29 24 18 21 119 The details of Gram Panchayats registering births and marriages are as follows: Mandal Chevella Shabad Shankarpally Pudur Vikarabad Total Birth Registration 18 25 18 22 18 101 Marriage Registration 15 15 11 16 8 65 STRENGTHENING OF SMCs Guidelines had been issued for the formation of SMCs across the State in November 2011. The volunteers were invited to a meeting organised by RVM in Hyderabad during the month. Subsequent to their participation in the meet, they interacted with head teachers on the issue. They noted that most of them were not familiar with the concept of the SMC and that they felt that there was no distinction between the SMC and the existing Academic Monitoring Committee. The volunteers made it clear to them that at least 75% of members on the SMC must be drawn from among parents and that one half of them must be women. They also briefed them on the other norms governing the formation of SMCs. In the meantime, some newspapers carried stories to the effect that MVF had been forming SMCs. Upon coming to know of this, some officials of the Education Department expressed their dissatisfaction with this and asked the volunteers why they had been interfering in their duties. The volunteers replied that most of the head teachers had been unaware of the structure and composition of the SMC. They later involved the head teachers actively in the process of forming SMCs. Orientation sessions were later held for SMC members at the village level, the details of which are as below: Mandal Chevella Shankarpally Shabad Pudur Vikarabad Total Sessions 34 58 47 56 40 235 Members 732 1747 1175 1248 803 5705 Mandal level orientation sessions were also organised for SMC chairpersons on the structure of the SMC and on the roles and responsibilities of the members. The details of the sessions are as under: Mandal Chevella Shankarpally Shabad Pudur Vikarabad Total Date 29-12-11 19-12-11 7-12-11 5-1-12 5-12-11 Members 75 48 75 44 50 292 Subsequent to the conduct of these meetings, the members undertook visits to schools in their respective villages along with the REPC and the CRPF to identify gaps in implementation of the RTE Act with specific focus on school governance, teacher irregularity, child absenteeism, use of School Grants, infrastructure availability, implementation of the midday meal scheme, coordination with teachers and quality education. These visits were taken up in three phases as below: Mandal Chevella Shankarpally Shabad Pudur Vikarabad Schools 60 7 10 58 14 5 75 14 5 8 27 12 40 25 10 Agenda Check infrastructure status Check quality of education Social Audit of midday meal scheme Check infrastructure status Check quality of education Social Audit of midday meal scheme Check infrastructure status Check quality of education Social Audit of midday meal scheme Check infrastructure status Check quality of education Social Audit of midday meal scheme Check infrastructure status Check quality of education Social Audit of midday meal scheme They later consolidated the findings of these visits and discussed plans to petition to the officials in this regard. Mandal level review meetings were later held during February – March 2012 to share the outcomes of the visits, the details of which are as follows: Mandal Chevella Shankarpally Shabad Pudur Vikarabad Total Date 10-3-12 28-2-12 25-2-12 27-2-12 28-2-12 Participants 30 30 80 50 70 260 Participant Profile SMC SMC, REPC, CRPF SMC, REPC, CRPF SMC, REPC, CRPF SMC, REPC, CRPF The MPDO, the MEO, the KBGV Principal and TFCR members were present during the meeting in Shabad. Participants in Chevella included TFCR members. The MEO and the TFCR Convener took part in the meeting in Shankarpally. The MPDO and MRPs turned up at Vikarabad. The Mandal Special Officer and the MEO were among the participants in Pudur. Responding to a petition by the members during the conduct of the review meeting, the MPDO of Shabad mandal immediately provided water connectivity to 10 schools. Participatory planning for school development was taken up in 90 schools of the project area with the objective of preparing School Development Plans. The details are as below: Mandal Chevella Shankarpally Shabad Pudur Vikarabad Total Plans 34 18 15 14 9 90 Training and Technical Support PROJECT OUTCOMES AND DISSEMINATION The outcomes of the project were shared with community groups during periodical meetings held with them. Village level convergence meetings were also used as a platform to share the outcomes of the project and to seek support from officials and elected representatives for the campaign. The volunteers also regularly updated line department officials and kept them abreast of developments in the campaign. CAPACITY BUILDING Capacity building exercises were held for members of different groups such as the CRPF, the AMC, Education Sub-Committees, the AITFCR, the REPC, and VOs, parents, youth, and students on the provisions of the RTE Act and their role in streamlining its implementation. Periodical meetings were also held with these groups to discuss problems being faced by them while addressing the agenda and to seek solutions to them. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Staff meetings were held once in ten days to review the progress of the activity, identify problems faced, support from other groups, and planning for the future. Monthly meetings of the mandal in- charges also featured with a similar agenda. 2 project level meetings were held at quarterly intervals with the participation of all field personnel. IMPACT 15 community members have been prepared as resource persons and are ambassadors of the programme SMC members have owned up the agenda of school strengthening Assessment of children’s learning levels has brought out that there is improvement among them Teachers have become more serious about their duties and some of them have recognised the right of every child to education Parents are openly questioning teachers about quality education during SMC meetings and are asking for details on their wards’ progress Officials are very supportive of the agenda, especially the police department Suggestions Parents must be oriented on the RTE Act Officials must undertake regular visits to schools and assess children’s academic levels Exposure visits to the implementation site must be organised for Special Officers at the village and mandal levels Exchange visits of the staff members could be facilitated to other states in which the RTE Act is being implemented effectively STORIES FROM THE FIELD PS Fatehpur in Shankarpally mandal had an enrolment of 40. The school had 2 government teachers, one of who was on maternal leave. The other teacher had been deputed as MRP. The Sarpanch had supported a volunteer in August 2011 but the latter quit attending to his duties after the Sarpanch’s term ended in September. This issue was discussed during a meeting and a volunteer was posted in November 2011. The midday meal worker had been cooking the meal at her home. The REPC and the CRPF members undertook two monitoring visits to the school every week. They tracked the number of children present in school before and after the lunch hour. They noted that some children were being underfed. They were also not being fed eggs as per the norm. They later spoke to the worker, who informed that she had no kitchen shed and also had no gas cylinder. She was told that the school had 3 vacant rooms and that she could use one of them. She duly relocated to the school. The REPC and the CRPF members spoke to the MRP and requested him to sanction a gas cylinder to the agency. He advised them to get a cylinder from a Hyderabad based Gas Agency. A library that had been functioning in the school had been closed down. The Panchayat Secretary had taken charge of the 500 books that were available in the library. The members met him and requested him to part with the books so that they could be placed in the Saakshara Bharati Centre. He consented to this and also offered to sponsor a newspaper. During their visit to Pulumaddi village of Vikarabad mandal, the REPC and the CRPF noted that 36 and 15 children from the ZPHS and PS respectively had not been partaking of the midday meal due to unavailability of water. The school toilets were also unused due to lack of water facility. Learning levels of nearly one half of the children present were not up to the mark. Three teachers had reported late and 20-25 children from each of the schools turned up after the assembly hour. The newspaper was not being read during the assembly hour. The teachers were asked to involve the children in the assembly hour actively. The children have begun reading newspaper headlines after the daily prayer. Water connectivity was provided to the school through the Rural Water Supply Department after the Panchayat Secretary, the SMC, the REPC and the CRPF members approached the officials. The teachers are dividing children into four sub-groups based on their learning levels and are imparting customised instruction to them. Study hours are being held for children from C and D sub-groups in the last hour of the day. Class wise parents’ meetings are being held once in a quarter to share the children’s progress with their parents. Flash Cards are being displayed in Classes 1 and 2 for the children’s benefit. Difficult words have been painted on classroom walls so that their recall value is high. Children from the PS also have access to educational video CDs. Mehrunnissa, the gazetted head teacher of ZPHS Pulusumamidi in Vikarabad mandal was irregular to her duties and had not attended school for an entire month in November 2011. However, her husband used to take the register to her home and get her to sign the attendance register. One of the members of the newly formed SMC saw this and spoke to the teachers in this regard. They told him that this was a regular phenomenon and that they could not do much about it, as her husband was an MEO. The issue was taken to the notice of the Deputy DEO through a petition and a copy of the petition was faxed to the DEO. However, both of them did not respond for a week. The head teacher was summoned to an SMC meeting, during which 50 parents and SMC members took her to task for her negligence and told her that they would not send their children to her school as long as she was around. She agreed to mend her ways but the villagers were persistent and met the Deputy DEO, asking him for details of the action that he had taken against the head teacher. He passed on the buck to the DEO. The members rang him up and asked him for details on the status of their complaint. He instituted an inquiry and noted a number of irregularities. Mehrunnissa was duly suspended. The issue of teacher irregularity was brought up for discussion during a meeting in Pudugurthy, Pudur mandal. Any one of the three teachers posted in the PS was on leave at any point in time by rotation. A petition was submitted to the MEO but he did not respond. The volunteers convened a public meeting in the village, to which they invited an MRP, the teachers, the SMC vice-chairperson and parents. The members present raised a number of issues. Some of the parents pointed out that the head teacher was never present in school. The acting head teacher clarified that he had been sent on deputation. The MRP informed that the MEO had posted a volunteer but he had not received any honorarium. The SMC members submitted a petition to the MEO, demanding honorarium for the volunteer. They also pressurised the head teacher to utilise an unspent amount of Rs. 15000 from the School Grant for electrical work. Two irregular teachers have mended their ways and are sincerely discharging their duties. The quality of the midday meal was quite poor in PS and ZPHS Gottimukkula, Vikarabad mandal. An agency run by a local political leader had been awarded the contract for cooking the meal. There was no adherence to the menu and the workers always complained that they did not have enough margin. Hardly 50 of the 300 children used to partake of the meal on an average. The volunteers undertook regular visits to the school and warned the workers on a number of occasions. The issue was also taken to the notice of the Press but to no avail. The younger brother of the ZPTC was an active leader of a youth association. He was elected chairperson of the newly formed SMC. Hardly had he been given this responsibility than he summoned the agency workers to a meeting and warned them that they would be replaced if they did not maintain quality and adhere to the menu. They refused to adjust and were duly replaced. More than 250 children are now consuming the meal on a regular basis. The PS and the ZPHS in Kankal, Pudur mandal are located within the same complex. Nearly one half of children studying in the ZPHS had not been partaking of the midday meal on account of poor quality. The midday meal record in the PS was equally bad. The volunteers and the CRPF convened a meeting with the head teacher, teachers and the agency. The volunteers made a detailed presentation on the costs involved in implementation of the midday meal scheme and asked them how much they were paid per child. They noted at the end of the presentation that the workers would not stand to incur any losses as they had claimed. The workers were asked why they had not been maintaining quality in that case. They replied that all children had not been consuming the meal and that the margin would meet their expectations if this happened. The CRPF members replied that the children would partake of the meal if they maintained quality. The situation has improved now. Upon coming to know that Chandraiah from Devunigadda, Shabad mandal had been planning to marry off his daughter T.Sarita, a student of Class 9 from the Zilla Parishad HS in Pothugal, the CRPF members and the volunteer jointly met the girl at school and spoke to her. She told them that she was not keen on the marriage but her parents were bent on marrying her off. The entire village and the school teachers were invited to a meeting and they counseled Chandraiah and his wife but they were unwilling to stop the marriage. The CRPF got Sarita to write a letter to the mandal officials and they passed it on to them. A list of proposed child marriages was also submitted to the Task Force Committee. The SI of Police visited the village and spoke to the girl’s family members. They later met the volunteers along with the Sarpanch and he asked them to ignore this one marriage, adding that he would manage the officials if necessary. They asked him to give an official letter on his letterhead permitting them to marry the girl underage but he hesitated. They showed him the letter written by the girl, after which he backed off and advised the couple to drop their plans of the girl’s marriage. They consented and the parents of 4 other girls followed suit. CRPF members and the volunteer brought pressure on one Buchaiah from Antharam, Shabad mandal to drop his idea of marrying off his daughter Sunita, a student of Class 8 but he did not listen to them. He involved the Tandur MLA in the issue. The MLA rang up a constable from Shabad and asked him to try and convince the CRPF members to ignore the issue. The CRPF member informed this to the volunteer. Buchaiah, in the meantime, had produced a Bus Pass according to which his daughter was 19 years old. The volunteer, however, checked the school records and got proof of the girl’s age. They counseled her parents to postpone the marriage, informing them that they were aware of her true age. Buchaiah and his wife brought the girl to the mandal office dressed to look like an older girl. The CRPF members reached out to the couple through Buchaiah’s brother, who was a CRPF member, and the VRO. Together, they spoke to Buchaiah and got the marriage cancelled. Ramachandraiah, a native of Antharam, Chevella mandal planned to get his daughter Manikeshwari married as soon as she had passed out of Class 6. They took all precautions to conceal the affair and did not distribute wedding cards to anyone in the village. They also did not whitewash the house and stored all the material that they had bought at another location. One of the REPC members, who had been monitoring the school, came to know of the proposal from some of her friends and took along the girl’s teacher to her house. They spoke to Manikeshwari’s mother, who denied plans of getting the girl married. The CRPF members rang up the MPDO and the MEO, who apprised the Tehsildar of the existing situation. He sent a constable to the village two days in advance but the latter found no indications of marriage. The constable accordingly reported the issue to the Tehsildar. The CRPF members told him that he was sure of the proposal to get the girl married and urged him to send some constables to the village on the scheduled date of marriage. The official instructed the VRO to handle the issue, after which the wedding was laid off. Medibai Bhavani, the 15-year old daughter of Anthi Reddy from Damarlapally, Shabad mandal was studying in Class 10 in ZPHS Hayatabad, when her parents planned to get her married. Her mother had applied for a loan and had raised the issue during a VO meeting. Her fellow members asked her why she wanted the money and she told them the reason. They told her that she would not be given a loan if she proposed to get the girl married. She retorted that it was none of her business. They got angry with her and told her that she would not get the loan. However, some of the members took sides with her. In the meanwhile, the Anganwadi Worker – who was also associated with the VO, took the issue to the notice of the ICDS Supervisor. The official informed the CDPO. The girl’s parents came to know of this and asked the Worker why she had taken the issue to the CDPO. They also went to the CDPO’s office and spoke rudely to her. She rang up the SI of Police, who asked her to submit a written petition to him. The next day, the SI of Police, the Tehsildar, the ICDS Supervisor, the VO leaders and the Panchayat Secretary went to Bhavani’s house along with 2 constables and forced her parents to lay off plans of the girl’s wedding. Waddera Maheswari, a 15-year old student of Class 10 from Seetarampur, Shabad mandal was due to be married against her wishes. Her father Narasimhulu had withdrawn her from school without consulting her and had also taken the decision of marrying her off. The volunteers identified the girl’s case through an interaction with the head teacher during a routine school visit. They accordingly petitioned to the Tehsildar, the MPDO and the CDPO. The Tehsildar got along the SI of Police to the village during the Revenue Meet that was due to be held in the village the next day. The MPDO and the ICDS Supervisor accompanied him. The entire team went to the girl’s house and warned her parents strictly that official action would be initiated against them if they continued with their plans. A team of constables was also posted at the proposed venue of the marriage to prevent them from carrying out their plans. The wedding was finally laid off. Bandari Lalita, a 12-year old girl from Bulkapur, Shankarpally mandal dropped out of Class 7 from the local school just before the exams without anyone’s knowledge. She was a bright student but did not turn up at the exams. Having noted this, one of the teachers, who was affiliated to the TFCR, passed on this information to the local REPC members. They investigated the matter and came to know that she was due to get married. They, along with the CRPF members, met the Tehsildar, the MEO and the MRPs and apprised them of the facts. They jointly visited the girl’s home along with the functionaries of SEEDS, a local voluntary organisation. The girl’s mother was adamant and did not budge even when the SI of Police spoke to her after receiving a complaint from the REPC. She spoke to him rudely. This enraged him and he summoned her, her son and Lalita to the Police Station, where he told her categorically that her daughter would be handed over to the MVF staff. The wedding was laid off and the girl was sent to the Aloor camp after 2 days, from where she is pursuing her education unhindered. Aruna from Proddutur, Shankarpally mandal was studying in Class 10 when her parents decided to get her married against her wishes. She took the issue to the notice of a VO member, who involved the CRPF and the REPC in the matter. They summoned the girl’s parents to a meeting and counseled them in the presence of 28 people on the RTE Act. They did not broach the issue of child marriage directly but spoke of other matters of concern to the participants and finally spoke on child marriage. They asked the villagers if they had heard of any instances of child marriage. They informed that Aruna was due to get married. The Gram Panchayat members resolved to stop the marriage at any cost and counseled both the girl’s parents and the parents of the groom, who were warned that of legal action, as the girl was a minor. The wedding was postponed. 16-year old Pavani, the daughter of the midday meal worker in UPS Laxmareddyguda was enrolled in the first year of the Intermediate programme in Vikarabad. Her farmer parents were keen on getting her married to a youth from the same village and proposed to withdraw her from college. They began negotiating with the youth’s family. Pavani was against this idea for two reasons. In the first place, she was keen on studying further. The youth was also completely illiterate. The girl spoke to her maternal grandmother, who was cross with her daughter. She and the woman began living in separate rooms from then on and had no communication. In the meantime, the old woman confided in the local volunteer, who planned to take along the CRPF members, the head teacher and the Anganwadi Worker to the girl’s house. They encountered Pavani’s father on their way down and counseled him at length. He seemed willing to acknowledge their idea and asked them to motivate his wife. They narrated the sorrowful plight of some victims of child marriage to her and convinced her to lay off the wedding for the time being. Alampally Bhavani, the 14-year old daughter of Pentaiah from Gongupally, Pudur mandal had an affair with a boy and she also became physically intimate with him. Some of the locals beat them up, after which the villagers decreed that they ought to be married and a date was accordingly fixed. Upon coming to know of this, the volunteers informed the Tehsildar. He in turn rang up the RDO. The official instructed the SI of Police, the VRO and the village police to look into the issue. They went to the venue of the proposed marriage, taking along a constable. The girl’s family had come to know of this and shifted the venue to Vikarabad. The volunteers involved the MVF team in Vikarabad in the issue. The volunteers and the CRPF members caught up with 8 members of the girl’s family and took them to the Police Station, where they were counseled. Bhavani’s parents were asked to declare in writing that they would not marry her for 4 years. She is presently enrolled in Class 8 in the KGBV. An annual survey of children employed in brick kilns was undertaken in Shankarpally mandal during December 2011. This exercise brought out that there had been no real improvement in the situation, as most of the children working there were immigrants and it was not easy to trace their whereabouts. Their number had actually gone up by more than 20%. Campaign pamphlets were distributed to the owners of 14 brick kilns and they were told that every child had the right to education. They replied that the children were not locals and that they could not do much about it. The Tehsildar and the MEO were given the details of the children and asked to take the necessary steps. The Mandal Special Officer promised to set up schools for the children but no schools have been set up as yet. The Tehsildar visited Dontanpally in Maharajpet mandal a few days later and noted that 9 children had been employed in a brick kiln there. She instructed the Secretaries that had accompanied her to take the vehicle and the children to the Police Station. The volunteers were asked to come to the Police Station, where the children were counseled. The owner of the brick kiln Mohan Reddy was also summoned to the Police Station. The children were later admitted in the State Children’s Homes in Hyderabad. Mohan Reddy was asked to bear the cost of relocating the children. The volunteers later met the other employers and asked them to be prepared to face a similar situation. They were advised to get along some teachers along with the children so that it would be possible to educate them. No boundaries had been fixed for PS Pedavedu, Shabad mandal. Some of the villagers took undue advantage of this and encroached upon the school premises. They laid the foundation for their houses with the support of a former MPTC, who belonged to the ruling party. The parents of the children studying in the school discussed the issue with the CRPF and undertook a joint visit to the school along with the SMC vice-chairperson. They noted that there was no record of the school boundaries. They accordingly petitioned to the Tehsildar, requesting him to provide complete details of the school boundaries. He did not respond for a week, following which the issue was taken to the notice of the Special Collector. The official instructed the Tehsildar to take the necessary action. The latter undertook an exercise to get the boundaries fixed, the outcomes of which are due by end April 2012. PS Janwada, Shankarpally mandal had 218 children on rolls. Seven teachers had been posted there. Some parents informed during a meeting that 2-3 of them were always late to their duties. The CRPF members devised an innovative strategy to address the issue. They went to the school regularly on 23 consecutive days and bowed in obeisance to the teachers. Embarrassed, the teachers began reporting in time. Three of them went on leave simultaneously a few weeks later. Some youth moved the MEO and demanded volunteers to replace the teachers in their absence. He accordingly deputed 3 volunteers to the school. PS Banglagadda under Fatehpur Panchayat in Shankarpally mandal had 15 children on rolls. The midday meal agency worker had absolutely no idea of the fact that she was entitled to an amount of Rs. 1000 a month. When spoken to, the head teacher claimed that she had no inkling of this whatsoever. The volunteers rang up the MEO in the head teacher’s presence and she told the official that no money had been deposited in the Bank Account of the school. The MEO contacted the MRP and assured the volunteer after half an hour that the amount would be credited to the School Account. The issue has been resolved now. ZPHS, Parveda in Shankarpally mandal had an enrolment of 245. The head teacher and teachers informed during a meeting held in August 2011 that only 90 of the children had been consuming the midday meal each day on an average. When spoken to, the children informed that they did not have enough plates. One of the participants, a Hyderabad based friend of the head teacher, sponsored 245 plates. More than 90% of children that attend school regularly are partaking of the meal. PS Kothapally in Shankarpally mandal had 73 children on rolls. Some parents and CRPF members discussed the issue of teacher shortage during a meeting in the school and pointed out that the school needed an additional teacher in accordance with the norms of the RTE Act. They spoke to the MEO and requested him to post a third teacher. He initially maintained that there was no provision for another teacher but they pressurised him and he yielded by posting a volunteer. Escort allowance of Rs. 900 was also paid to the parents of a boy with disability of the legs. PS Kondakal, Shankarpally mandal had an enrolment of 111. Some parents demanded introduction of English medium education in the school. They also petitioned to the MEO for a teacher or volunteer to teach English but the official replied that he could not post more teachers, as enough teachers had already been recruited. Konda Reddy, a real estate dealer from the village was approached and he agreed to support three months’ honorarium for a volunteer. A petition had also been submitted to the government earlier for repairs to an old school building but he told them that there was no provision for this. The REPC and the CRPF spoke to the functionaries of Indus International School, who got the necessary repairs done at a expense of Rs.1 lakh. PS Venkammaguda, Shabad mandal had 35 children on rolls. Nearly a third of them had not been consuming the midday meal. The REPC and the CRPF discussed the issue during a meeting. Some parents informed that the midday meal worker had been cooking the meal at home and had also been forcing their children to transport the food to the school. The school had some money in the budget but the roof of the kitchen shed had collapsed, rendering it unsafe and unhygienic. A petition was drafted in the name of the MEO and he was asked to get the flooring repaired. He instructed the head teacher to undertake the necessary works. The issue has been resolved and the worker has begun cooking the meal in the school. More than 30 children are present in school during the lunch hour. PS Pothugal, Shabad mandal had 78 children on rolls. The midday meal worker had not been serving two eggs a week. She had fed some children rotten eggs on a couple of occasions. Some parents questioned her but she spoke to them rudely and denied having committed irregularities. She was also quite indifferent to the teachers. The members of the newly constituted SMC summoned her to their formative meeting and warned her that she would be replaced if she continued to maintain poor quality of the meal. She did not listen to them on 2-3 consecutive occasions. She was spoken to strongly but she did not budge. The SMC accordingly drafted a resolution and got her removed. ZPHS Manmari, Shabad mandal had an enrolment of 115 children. Nearly 60 of them did not partake of the midday meal, as the number of plates was insufficient. Some of them also did not consume the meal on caste grounds. A meeting was held to discuss the issue. Their parents were told that the entire school would be affected if their children did not eat the meal. The midday meal worker was also summoned to the meeting and taken to task, after which the quality of the meal improved. The economics involved in the preparation of the midday meal was also explained to the children and they were urged to treat all castes as equal. Nearly 40 of the children have changed their mindset and have begun to consume the meal. The government teacher posted in PS Damarlapally, Shabad mandal had an accident following which he was not in a position to attend to his duties. Some parents came to know of this and noted that the school had been locked. 34 children were affected in the process. The parents took up the issue with the MEO, who replied that she was unaware of the problem. They pulled her up for neglect of duty and asked her to make alternate arrangements at the earliest. They warned that they would lock up the school for good if she did not respond. She deputed a teacher from nearby Saireddyguda after the villagers submitted a petition to the Special Officer during the Praja Darbar. PS Kesaram, Shabad mandal had 45 children on rolls. Some parents informed during a meeting that the classrooms had no blackboards and windows. The children also had no benched to sit on and standards of maintenance were poor. The playground was too small. Narasimhulu, a retired employee of the Army got the windows repaired. Former Sarpanch Jagadish got 6 blackboards repaired and VO Association President Chandrasekharamma sponsored almirahs and tables for the school. Sriram Reddy, a businessman, gave away 3 benches and 10 chairs. The locals spent Rs. 2000 on minor repairs. Participation in school parents’ meetings has gone up. Nearly 30 children shifted from private school to the local school after the teachers guaranteed quality education. PS Khanapur, Chevella mandal had 48 children on rolls. One teacher and volunteer each had been posted in the school. The teacher had proceeded on long leave for 40 days without intimation to the volunteer. The latter also stayed away from school for some days, as he proposed to apply for the District Selection Commission test being held for recruitment of government teachers. Upon coming to know of this, the REPC and the CRPF spoke to the SMC vice-chairperson. He approached the MEO and got a teacher from a neighbouring village deputed to the school. PS Malkapur, Chevella mandal had an enrolment of 160 children. Nearly 25 of them were absent during a visit by the REPC and the CRPF. Only 54 of the children present had eaten the meal that day. The Panchayat Secretary was spoken to and he made public announcements through the means of the Dandora, calling upon all children to eat the midday meal. The situation has improved since then and more than 35 of the children have begun partaking of the meal. UPS Mirzaguda, Chevella mandal had 68 children on rolls. Two teachers and one volunteer each had been posted in the school. The volunteer had proceeded on leave and the head teacher had been asked to replace the volunteer. He was, however, unwilling to do so because a number of formalities were involved. The vice-chairperson of the newly formed SMC summoned the head teacher to a meeting and asked him to get a new volunteer recruited, following which the problem was resolved. ZPHS Kowkuntla, Chevella mandal had an enrolment of 160. The PET had beaten one of the boys badly for no valid reason. His parents complained to the head teacher and he promised to speak to the PET but he did not take any action. The entire village summoned the both of them to a public meeting in the village and took them to task. The parents noted that there was groupism among the teachers and that they had internal conflicts. The village elders advised them against such an attitude and told them that the children’s welfare would be ultimately affected. The quality of the midday meal also improved after the teachers and the midday meal worker were taken to task. Government Boys’ High School, Chevella had nearly 200 children on rolls. The government had recently passed a GO requiring High Schools to feed even children enrolled in hostel. However, 22 children from the girls’ hostel in the mandal headquarters were not fed the meal. The midday meal workers and other staff of the hostel were summoned to a meeting in the presence of the MEO. He spoke to the workers in the school, who informed him that the head teacher had gone on leave and had not instructed them to this effect. He took them to task, after which the issue was set right. A parents’ meeting was held in Kompally, Vikarabad mandal to discuss the 15-day long absence of Dasari Anusha, a student of Class 5, from school. The SMC members asked the teachers why she had been absent for so long. The head teacher replied that the Sarpanch had entrusted the girl with the task of looking after his young child. The SMC petitioned to the MEO, who made it clear to the Sarpanch that it was illegal to employ children. The Sarpanch promptly freed Anusha and she returned to school. ZPHS Chanugomula, Pudur mandal had an enrolment of 400 children. Shortage of drinking water in the school was acute. The issue was taken up for discussion with the MPP, a former MPP, Panchayat members and village elders during a parents’ meeting. The former MPP offered to provide water connectivity to the school from the Panchayat waterline within 3 days and stuck to his promise. An amount of Rs. 1.2 lakhs had been sanctioned for construction of 3 toilets in ZPHS Chanugomula, Pudur mandal and the Sarpanch had promised to take up the assignment but backed off because he felt that the amount would be insufficient. A public meeting was held to discuss the issue and he was told that he was free to walk out and that another group would be identified to take up the task. He promptly agreed to begin work on the toilets. Foundation stones have been laid for 2 urinals and 1 bathroom. The playground in PS Angadi Chittampally, Pudur mandal was full of potholes and needed to be levelled at the earliest, as some children had been injured while playing. The villagers took up the issue for discussion with the Mandal Special Officer during a meeting. She sent the Engineer to prepare an estimate. He informed her that an amount of Rs.60,000 was necessary for the purpose. The villagers, however, told her that an amount of Rs.20,000/- would be sufficient. She immediately sanctioned Rs.20000 and the issue was promptly resolved. 200 children were enrolled in HS Peddeumenthal, Pudur mandal. They had only 3 teachers and no Maths and language teachers. This issue was taken up for discussion during a meeting and a petition accordingly submitted to the MEO but he told the CRPF members that the school was under the DEO’s jurisdiction. The ZPTC, the Sarpanch and the CRPF members subsequently moved the DEO, the District Collector and the PO-RVM and demanded at least a volunteer. A volunteer was posted in the school after a week or so and 3 permanent teachers’ posts were also sanctioned. The midday meal scheme had not been implemented in ZPHS Somangurthy, Pudur mandal for nearly a fortnight. The in-charge of the agency, who enjoyed the support of the ex-Sarpanch, was insolent and told the teachers bluntly that this was how he would cook and that they could do whatever they wished. Some of the children had complained and he spoke rudely even to them. Some others from the village were interested in cooking the meal but he had warned them of dire consequences. The CRPF members and some parents discussed the issue with the MEO during a meeting. More than 50 children demanded the workers’ replacement and the MEO immediately passed a resolution placing another agency in charge of the midday meal scheme. Jhansi, daughter of Yadaiah from Fatehpur, Shankarpally mandal had lost her father two years ago and could not pay her school fees. She was forced to drop out of the private school in which she had been studying. Upon coming to know of this, the CRPF members got her admitted in a government school. the head teacher did not enter her name in the register though she let her sit in class. The CRPF members, the TFCR members and the volunteer met her and spoke to her. She replied that she would enter the girl’s name in the register only if she produced the necessary documents. The CRPF members duly submitted a petition to the MEO, marking copies to the DEO, the District Collector and the NCPCR. He immediately went to the school and convinced the head teacher to enrol Jhansi. Prithvi Public School based in Shankarpally had been granted permission to run classes up the upper primary level, i.e., Class 7 but had enrolled children up to Class 10 and had been running the school in the name of Oxford High School. The management had sold off the school after incurring losses and the school had been renamed Bhaskar School. No application had been filed as yet for the High School section. The volunteers identified the issue and filed a petition with the MEO, who verified the documents and referred the case to the DEO. An inquiry is currently underway. The Core Group of Pudur mandal undertook a visit to schools of the mandal and noted that the quality of the rice was very bad. They later shared the issues that they had noted with the Tehsildar. He subsequently visited the ZPHS and the PS in Peddeumenthal, where he personally tested the quality of the rice. He asked the head teachers if they had been serving 2 eggs to the children a week. He also interacted with children in all classes and took their feedback on the quality. He later asked the head teachers to improve the quality of the meal at the earliest. The MEO visited ZPHS Kondakal, Shankarpally mandal on 1 st February 2012 to participate in a skit performed by CWSN. He was accompanied by the volunteers and the CRPF. The group noted that the head teacher had forced 20 children to stand outside the classroom for insignificant reasons. He took the head teacher to task and promised the CRPF that he would address cases of corporal punishment on a priority basis. PS Jambapur Thanda, Vikarabad mandal had 63 children on rolls but no teacher had been posted in the school. A lone Vidya Volunteer had been running the school from June onwards. A petition was submitted to the MEO but he did not respond. The parents and some REPC members staged a protest at the RDO’s office, after which a teacher was posted to the school in November 2011. Ten children from Maharashtra had migrated to Machanpally, Shabad mandal along with their families during October 2011. The volunteers identified their case and linked them to the local school with the help of the labour contractor. The children initially had problems with the language. The volunteers tested them for their learning levels, after which they were placed under the charge of a Muslim volunteer. A petition was later submitted to the MEO, requesting him to issue uniform and books to them and to post a volunteer for their benefit. Three children from Kadapa district had quit school to migrate along with their parents to Rudraram in Shabad mandal, where they began working in a poultry farm. The volunteers, the REPC and the CRPF identified their cases and took up a special drive with the head teacher to reach out to the children. They were motivated and enrolled in the local school. The head teacher promised to provide them with uniform and books. Former Sarpanch of Qutbullapur, Pudur mandal Narasimha Reddy had engaged Suresh, a 12-year old boy from the village to perform his domestic chores. Upon coming to know of this, the volunteers spoke to him but he denied having employed the boy and told them that the boy used to accompany his mother off and on. He let the boy go. The volunteers and the REPC members met Suresh’s mother and motivated her to send him to school. She did not initially consent but agreed to educate him after Narasimha Reddy counseled her. Sarita, the 13-year old daughter of Mylaram Shankaraiah from Aloor in Chevella mandal had never been to school and had been grazing goats. Even her two younger sisters had never attended school. Their father was a sworn alcoholic and was always engaged in arguments with his wife. He also had differences of opinion with his brothers over ownership of land. The volunteers involved some village elders in the issue and managed to resolve the issue to an extent. They broached the issue of the girls’ education cautiously with him and finally succeeded in getting all 3 girls to school. A big rice mill was being constructed in Chinnareddygudem, Shankarpally mandal. Ten immigrant families had landed up in the villages from the far end of the district. Nearly 15 children had been loitering around while their parents worked. The volunteers surveyed the village for details of the children and referred the case to the MEO. He informed that the school building in the village was vacant, as the school had been closed down. He asked the volunteers to identify a volunteer and a midday meal agency, promising to open a school in the village. The school was duly set up but no volunteer was available. The Anganwadi Worker has been given temporary charge of the children. Labour Officer Ms.Renuka raided 12 dhabas near IBS, Dontanpally, Shankarpally mandal and slapped cases against the owners of 3 of them for having employed children. Penalties of Rs. 3500 were imposed on each of them and they duly freed the children. They have promised not to employ children in future. The parents of a Class 9 student from Kankal HS, Pudur mandal wanted to get their daughter married off at the earliest, as she had a sizeable blotch on her face and a youth had offered to marry her. They were worried that they would find it difficult to get a match for her later and consented to marry her to the youth. The volunteers and the REPC members identified her case and informed this to the Tehsildar. He counseled the girl’s parents to postpone the marriage but they were persistent and also tried to involve some political leaders in the issue. The officials were, however, determined and forced them to lay off their plans of the girl’s marriage.