60 years of netarhat : Lessons for Inclusive Quality Schooling
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Transcript of 60 years of netarhat : Lessons for Inclusive Quality Schooling
Vijoy Prakash, IASPrincipal Secretary, Department of Transport, BiharNetarhat School(1967-72), Arun Ashram
60 Years of Netarhat EducationLessons for Inclusive Quality
Schooling
NETARHAT SCHOOL: GENESIS
In 1948 Bihar Legislative Assembly made a recommendation for setting up of a Boarding School on the pattern of English Public School on a private motion of Sarjoo Prasad Sinha, MLA
FG Pearce prepared the project Major role of CM Shrikrishna Singh, Education Minister Badri
Narayan Verma, Chief Secretary LPSingh, and Education Secretary Jagadish Chandra Mathur
Conceived as an Indian Public School supported by government fund in contrast to English Public Schools run without any support from government
Established in November 1954 Netarhat experiment has been able to inspire many schools such as
Indira Gandhi Girls School, Hazaribagh, Simultalla School (Bihar), Navodaya Vidyalayas, Residential Schools in Andhra Pradesh etc.
IDENTIFICATION OF MERITORIOUS CHILDRENADMISSION TEST
Admission only on the basis of merit with reservation for weaker sections in the age group (10-12 yrs)
Multi layer screening Three components
Written Viva Voce Psychological Tests
But the admission test is based on testing verbal and logical intelligence. So the process captures talented only in limited area. Talented in the field of Art, Music, Drama or Sports are not captured.
INCLUSIVE ARCHITECTURE
Teacher centric small classrooms for 20-24 children with attached teacher room
Ashram – each for accommodating 20-24 students and a teacher with family having traditional courtyard based architecture to facilitate close interaction
Laboratories – Physics, Chemistry and Biology each with its own lecture theatre
Workshops- Metal work, Wood work, Art and Music
Agricultural Farm
Google map of Netarhat School : Spread across the plateau
Smaller classroom with teacher’s room attached to it for keeping TLM
FLEXIBLE AND INCLUSIVE CURRICULA
Grouping of children in classes of 20 students separately for Hindi, Mathematics and EnglishFor facilitating Learning at one’s own pace of learning
Teacher driven curriculum – freedom to design curriculum Standard text of college standard vs Classwise texts
Arithmetic by YCChakraborty, Algebra by KPBasu, Geometry by Hall and Stevens,
Zoology by Jordon and Nigam, Botany by Dutta Physics by Saha and Prasad, etc
Such texts provide freedom to children to learn more as per one’s own pace. So talented children have scope for learning more. This technique has been useful in helping genius like Vashishtha Narayan Singh and many more to complete degree level courses at school level itself.
Teaching in Hindi at secondary level to facilitate better understanding of subject matter. English taught as an additional language.
EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION WIDER SPECTRUM OF SUBJECTS Science
Physics Chemistry Biology
Mathematics Hindi English Sanskrit History Geography Social Studies Economics Art Music Agriculture Metal work Woodwork
EDUCATIONAL INCLUSIONWIDE RANGE OF GAMES/ HOBBIES
Large number of indoor and outdoor games/sports- 8 Sports fields, Lawn Tennis, Basket Ball. Volley ball field
Photography Aero modeling Ship building Computers Scouting Gardening Drama Observing Stars Mathematical Society NCC
Army wing, Air wing and Naval wing Opportunity for nursing and grooming of all types of abilities
and intelligence.
Oath taking ceremony before the start of the Athletics Competition
Pyramid making and Bhartiyam: New dimensions of learning
Camp life outside Ashram is always a welcome treat.
SOCIAL INCLUSION
Reservation for SC/ ST through common Admission Test SC/ST children distributed evenly in all Ashrams to promote
inclusive living Ashram life promoted inclusive living
All children to take up serving, cleaning and washing through roster
In many schools children wash their dish or clean the toilet used by them. But, we can not create impact on the caste system unless children of all communities, irrespective of caste and creed, wash the dish of all and clean the common toilet used by all.
Nobody talked about caste or religion of the teachers, students or staff
Inclusive Salutation – Teachers as Shrimanjee, Ladies as Mata jee, Seniors and professionals addressed with suffix of ‘jee’ such as Vijoy jee, Malijee, Naijee, etc.
Nowhere ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ is used
Dining hall in an Ashram: Same space is used for Swadhyaya. Dining is preceded by Mantras and Swadhyaya by 5 minutes’ ‘Mauna’ (An exercise for
inner visualisation). – Why?
ADRISHTI- A COMPLETE VISUALISATION At School of Creative Learning Inner
Visualisation Exercises have been developed to guide visualisation activities, which has also been linked to their creative exercises. These exercises are called ‘Adrishti Yog’.
It has been found that children following inner visualisation exercises develop their learning ability manifold more than those who do not practice.
ADRISHTI : A COMPLETE VISUALISATION
It is followed by creative exercises like drawing pictures, composing poems, etc.
These exercises help learners to develop power of concentration, memory and imagination. It further helps them to have better emotional control, which is now considered to be so vital for achieving success in life.
FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Fees to be paid on the basis of income of the parents
All children given same facilities irrespective of the Fees being paid by them Common Dress, books and stationeries Equal Ashram facilities - utensils, bed and bed
sheets Unhindered access to sports/ library/ hobby/ NCC
facilities all without any fees Common study tour, picnic etc.
Lesson for RTE
INCLUSIVE LIVING 24 HOURS’ LEARNING
Unique Ashram System Each Ashram having 20-24 students Three Ashrams in a set with common kitchen Entire management of Ashram by students (No menial staff in
the Ashram) Cleaning of toilets and sweeping Ashrama Serving of food,
Cleaning of dishes Morning to evening strict routine
PT and games Swadhyaya in evening with Mauna
Chanting of Mantra during food Ashramadhyaksha to dine with children Role of Ashram Mata Taking notes of news by Radio listening
Roster of daily chores like sweeping, washing, cleaning, etc. Radially shown are Roll numbers of
inmates of the Ashram
EVERY OCCASION IS A LEARNING OCCASION
Netarhat Education is Unique blend of Formal and Informal Learning systemAssembly – a great learning occasionFesivals as a learning occasion: Cultural linkage
Holika dahan and Holi, Diwali and Saraswati PujaRepublic day, Independence day and School day
‘Better than the best’ approachVillage visit : camp lifeStudy tourUse of vacation for learningForest as a place of learning
Visit of forest to collect leaves, seeds etc. Bird WatchingSnake caught from forest by Vasudevan jee and brought to laboratory
Decoration in an Ashram on the occasion of Deepawali
Holika Dahan: Children bring dry wood from the forest. Message from four directions are read in four different Indian
languages, translated in Hindi also, and heap of wood is burnt by torches from four directions. It is followed by Holi
songs like Jogira.
Playing with colours during Holi organised on ground number 4 only.
Enthusiasm of children coordinated and regulated.
Parade of all NCC wings on the occasion of Republic/Independence day and School day
UNIQUE LIBRARY SYSTEM
Large collection of books and magazines Open access to shelf for children and
teachers Old magazines kept in bound form Activities to promote book reading
Antakshari Essay writing Book Review Library during leisure Facility for issuing books
Newspaper StandA useful tool to inculcate the habit of
newspaper reading
UNIQUE EVALUATION SYSTEM
Monthly test Semester System Grade System
Attempt (Prayas) Achievement (Saphalata ) and Dedication(Nishtha)
Special report to parents in words Teacher driven evaluation
Examples of unique evaluations such as one problem many solutions
STRONG PEER LEARNING
Warm Welcome of students on the first day of arrival and Mentoring of children by seniors – no ragging
Close interaction in Ashrams Group competition (sports, drama, Antakshari
etc.) based on Ashrams/ Sets/batch Cross country Picnics Study tours Conducting classes during elections
Cross Country Race: The points are given to each runner on the basis of rank (e.g. 1st 40, 2nd 39 ….. and so on) and the winning
group is declared on the basis of highest points achieved by a group.
HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS
Highly qualified and dedicated teachers and Principal screened at all India level and even abroad
Pay Scale equal to the college teachers and Principal
Special administrative system under direct control of government
Now given autonomy and is run by Netarhat Vidyalaya Samiti headed by a Netarhat Allumni.
ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Netarhat Experiment has been able to produce large number of school and university toppers. One can also find large number of IAS, IPS, Scientists, Engineers, Doctors or other professionals among its alumni, but the real challenge remains to assess the number of change agents produced by it in the society.
ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Can we change the admission system to capture talented and meritorious in different types of intelligence to really nurse and groom the talented and genius?
How can we change the pedagogy to introduce Creativity and Innovation in the learning process?
How can we produce more entrepreneurs? How can we integrate more technology in the learning
system to make it more effective? How can we support the talented children in post
school period? How can we make the system more cost efficient?
Thanks for giving company in this creative journey
of the wonderful education system of the
country.