Education plays the most vital role for development of any society and more so for the tribal society who lag far behind others in many aspects of life. Investments on children for long term social transformation, change and progress is a fundamental need for providing quality and value oriented education. Besides education of children, awareness on human rights, development of leadership and organisation of people is being promoted to facilitate their empowerment and assertion of rights. The followings are some of the key components of this process:

Education for Tribal Children in Nawarangpur and Kondhmal Districts

In India, the rural areas are lagging far behind in education and large numbers are trapped in the vicious circle of poverty, illiteracy and child labour. In Orissa, the tribals and Dalits constitute more than 40% of the state population. The percentage of tribal literacy is very low. There is a great disparity between the male and female literacy rate (34.4%: 10.2%). The operational areas are characterized by inaccessibility, remoteness, hilly and forested areas. Educational situation has been extremely poor in terms of literacy, access to education and non-functioning of the existing educational infrastructure.

The education project called “Sikhya O Bikash Prakalpa” was initiated in mid-1997 and implemented in two backward tribal districts of Nowrangpur and Kondhmal, both falling under the Scheduled Areas in southern Orissa. CPSW’s intervention has brought a significant improvement in terms of awareness and participation in education programme by the poor landless tribal and women population of the area. The massive enrollment in our schools and the retention of students shows the interest created among the communities towards education.

CPSW set up 100 primary schools in 100 villages; 30 upper primary schools, four Secondary schools with the following objectives:

* Universalization of elementary education in the project villages (at least up to 90% enrollment    of all children into schools).

* Girl children enrollment, at least 80-85% in all the villages.

* Increase in retention rate from 60% to 80% till Class-V (completion of 5 years of schooling, in    addition to the 2 years of KG level schooling).

* Sensitization of NGOs, journalists, panchayatiraj leaders, educationists and other civil society    actors for the cause of education as a fundamental right at the district as well as the state level.

Most of the schools are running by communities with Government support and we continue to training, academic and resource support.

Promoting tribal girls’ education was one of the high priority item for CPSW. Hence, both of the secondary-cum-vocational schools were converted into a Residential Girls’ High School and residential mixed school at Palasgaon and Bijapur respectively in Jharigaon Block in Nowrangpur district. More than 300 girls and 100 boys are residing in these schools as regular inmates. This has been a very useful experiment in promoting women’s education and leadership in a most remote area. The students are provided with two meals and breakfast every day. There is a growing demand for admitting more girls into the school. In all the schools, School Management Committees are registered as Education Societies and empowered to run the schools. The committees are taking a number of initiatives to run the schools effectively and sustain them. The schools in kondhmal district are running as day schools.

The schools attempt to impart value based education, local specific vocational training and good quality education.

School-cum-Cyclone Shelter in Batighar island of Kendrapara District

The school-cum-cyclone centre was constructed in the village Nipania in the year 2000-2001, after the super cyclone in 1999 which swept the village. The village was deprived of a school and education for so long. Since then, the school is being supported by TdH, Germany and Rhino Balten-Indien Hilfe e.v in Bergish Gladbach.

Nipania Village comes under Batighar Gram Panchayat under Mahakalpara Block of Kendrapara district in the coastal Orissa.  “BATI GHAR” (the Light House), is perhaps the most natural name to the mini island human habitation on the mouth of river Mahanadi joining Bay of Bengal near the Paradip Port in the Orissa coast. There is a Light House of course to guide the marine vessels, but the light of development has eluded this mini island (rather cluster of islets) that lie in its calmness detached from the mainland and may be from the mainstream of socio-politico economic milieu of Orissa. Natural creeks separate the nine revenue villages from each other. The only cyclone shelter constructed by German Red Cross at village Barakodikhola saved many human lives during the super cyclone. More than 300 people took shelter for 3-4 days; till the water had flooded all around and there was 8 feet tidal water covering the villages.

There was no school for education in the village and the children were walking 3 kms to study in the nearest primary school at Khala. During rainy season the children were unable to go to school and as a result they usually drop their study. After one year, they used to go for fishing and catching finger lings of prawn (tiger prawn) and they become child labour. Just after the relief work, CPSW started the primary school keeping in view eradicating the school dropouts and child labour from Nipania village.

Project Objectives are to ensure the running of the School to check the incidence of Child Labour, reduce the dropout rates especially among the girl children, to impart training to the community on community based disaster preparedness.

The major outcome of the project was the enrolment and also the retention percentage in the village increased up to 90%. Due to the distance and the geographical barriers, the children were not in a habit to go to schools, which can be found from the educational scenario of the village.

The project was launched in the village to provide quality education within their vicinity. Earlier the children were being engaged in the fishing and prawn cultivation activities, as it was difficult for them to go the school. But presently, the children are going to the schools and receiving quality education in the schools. The major impacts found are:

Firstly, the community has been aware of the importance of education. They are cooperating the school activities and sending their children to the school.

Secondly, the teaching learning materials supported to the children have increased their interest to come to the schools. The retention rate is always above 90%, which indicates the success.
Thirdly, engagement of the children in other activities like fishing and prawn cultivation has stopped. The parents are not sending their children to schools instead of field.

Fourthly, so far as the gender is concerned, the enrolment of girl children has increased. Apart from these, the women are participating in the meetings of the VEC and putting forth their views. The mothers are showing interest to send their children to the school, which is a symbol of mothers’ consciousness.

The school has already been taken over Government of Orissa under the ‘Ama School’ under EGS. The VECs have also created a community fund, which can come into help of the school at the time of need. Regular follow up will be taken up to ensure the sustainability of the school.
The school plays a supporting role in the process for facilitating community development processes for better access to services and human rights.