In 1998, Untied Nations
Agencies (UNDP, UNESCO,UNICEF,TLO etc.) approached the Government of India
to contribute funds for providing access to education to children of
deprived social groups like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, with focus
on the girl child. Some eight states in India, including Rajasthan, were
selected. Bodh was commissioned by the Government of Rajasthan to
conceptualize the programme (which came to be known as Janshala Programme)
for the state.
While in other states, Janshala Programme focused on rural areas, in
Rajasthan, at the instance of Bodh, it was planned for urban poor children
in cities where the situation was critical. Janshala was launched in
Rajasthan in 1999 and Bodh was assigned the responsibility of providing
Academic and Technical Support. Work under the program was largely with two
sets of stakeholders:
Work with existing schools. All government primary schools in four
cities of Rajasthan- Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Bharatpur (a total of 666)
were brought under this program and redesignated as Rajkiya Janshalas (RJS)-
"Government People's Schools". Bodh undertook training of Master Trainers
and orientation of the Zonal Officers and Head Teachers of these schools.
The focus was on improving the quality of the government schools.
Work in Urban Slums lacking Educational Provisions. Samudayik Janshalas
(SJS) were raised with the support of local NGOs in Jaipur, Bharatpur and
Ajmer (a total of 191) in areas where over 50% children are no school going
and without school provisions. The children enrolled in these schools were,
therefore, those who previously lacked access to education. These were run
on the general lines of the Bodh Community Schools and Bodh provided
academic inputs for the program including onsite support and ongoing teacher
training. Bridge courses were also undertaken to target non-enrolled,
working and drop out children. Community mobilization and bringing the
community closer to the school was stressed.
