What can I do to make government schools work?
Film screening and Panel discussion
WHAT:
School children, government officials, teachers, parents and
activists come together to deliberate on how to ensure effective
functioning of government schools.
Some solutions will
be raised in a docu-drama Kuch Seekho, Kuch Seekhao (Learn
something, teach something) - a film by celebrated theatre director
Sandeepan VK Nagar with support from ActionAid.
WHEN:
22 November 2007, 2:00 pm
WHERE:
YMCA, Auditorium, New Delhi YMCA Tourist Hostel 1, Jai Singh Road,
New Delhi 110001
WHY:
85% of the schools in India are run by government – second largest
education system in the world after China.
Yet poor income,
disenchanted parents, inadequate infrastructure, skewed
student-teacher ratio and bad working conditions for teachers result
in poor functioning of government schools.
"We know that
majority of Indian children, especially the poorer section of
society, depend on government for basic services like education.
Access to quality education must be every child's right and not a
privilege for the wealthy few." said Niraj Seth who leads
ActionAid's work on education.
"Government schools
are shaping India's next generation. All of us have a responsibility
to ensure that they work properly. Government efforts must be
coupled with cooperation from society at large – NGOs, teachers,
parents and children," added Seth.
WHO:
Panellists include:
Father Kunnunkal,
former Chairman of Central Board of Secondary Examination
Amit Kaushik,
former Director in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI.
He is the moderator for the United Nations 'Solution Exchange, a
web based discussion group on education.
Daisy Narain,
a child rights activist who has worked extensively on the issue of
education planning in Bihar. She is associated with East and West
Education Society.
Meena Maria,
is a head teacher of a senior secondary school in New Delhi.
Anjiaah,
is a government school head master and convener of All India
Teachers' Forum on Child rights.
Notes to the editor:
Sandeepan has made
valuable contribution over last thirteen years in the field of
theatre and films. He was honoured with Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak
Academy Award in the year 2000 for his contribution to theatre. He
will be present to share his experience of filming which involved
visits to government schools. Copies of the film available on
request.
ActionAid is an
international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries,
taking sides with poor people to end poverty and injustice together
