Video Tutorials: Possible future or an illusion?

We have read countless time that the basic problems facing public/municipality school is lack of empathy/support from Government and teaching staff. Government is always facing shortage of resources -Teachers, school buildings, study aids, etc 

The obvious solution found a few years back was using video tutorial. The advantage of it was you do not require a teacher or internet facility on your computer. It was an answer awaited by all children whose parents’ were not in position to sent them for private education. The technique was low-cost and effective.

CACR volunteers use Video Tutorials to teach English 

But has this idea brought out the required change or relief to these common woes? You could say in a small measure they have helped, but looking at the larger picture it probably has a long way to go.

The basic problem this idea faces:

• No room for computer lab in schools. Certain classes in government schools are being closed down due to insufficient number of students, there is still no provision for a computer lab in many public schools of India 
• A mandatory law that every school should have a computer lab with fully functioning computers and a computer teacher assigned is a must. A large population of educated Indians is unemployed and it’s time to accommodate them into public schools thus providing them an employment opportunity and resolving the teaching staff situation. Even retired or handicapped people should be given an opportunity for teaching positions.
• Maintenance of computers is another issue. In those schools where a lab is provided with the necessary software and a maintenance contract, still many of the computers are inoperable. No maintenance is done and no sign of future actions to get it done are in the to-do list. Neither the government nor the required school personnel are accountable for it.
• How to operate video tutorials? Students are definitely not born with an internal manual on how to operate computers or video tutorials. The only advantage the current and future generations have is their ability to grasp computers and other electronic gadgets like smartphone/tablet at faster rate than their parents.

E-Learning via Video Tutorials 

           Few solutions could be -getting into a five year contract with the I.T. firms (who have made India famous in the world of IT)who  will solve the problem of maintenance and provide regular updates to software. A special audit team should be created by the Government for random checks in school regarding student welfare, day-to-day operating problems in schools and computer labs functioning.

Students learn basic IT skills via Video Tutorials

           So, what we essentially need is a teacher for some period of time to teach them basics and an access to computer lab to practice it on regular basis. Practice is what is needed to make these students masters in their game and for a possibility to use more video tutorials to expand their knowledge. These same students can in turn help their juniors who are on a novices to  the world of computers.

Once these bottlenecks  are removed, we will have a bright future for the BMC (inner city) schools and its students. All we need is participation from all the stakeholders – parents, Government, teachers, volunteers and public to give their time and effort to this endeavor.

-JZ is a engineer and a  volunteer with +Citizens Association For Child Rights a non profit working in public schools on India to improve the standard of education and well being 

The good old Radio: The new educational change agent?

During my MBA induction, we were made to form a team and come up with an idea of a product or service and present it. We came up with the idea of creating our own FM radio channel.

Sadly, our idea flopped, as we had no concrete factual data to support our idea and no plan on profits and ROI (return of investment).

It was our first step in the world of management and our first lesson was to be creative.

Today I look back at this incidence and realize how important that one simple lesson is, for one to  survival in today’s world. Every generation is facing the same problem; food clothing, shelter, and poverty. And every generation is the same, only a select few wish to be creative and find a solutions, while the majority fall by the wayside and simply follow the creative ones.

Today, CACR has taken the initiative to come up with ideas to solve the problem of “access to education”. My monthly articles are focused on finding these ideas. One such idea came to my mind when I was watching the show “50 Gadgets that changed the world”.

Can you guess the top two gadgets?

They were mobile phone and radio. Radio has been an influential gadget since the early 20^th century. It had solved the problem of communications then, but has it now?

So, I started pondering as to its usefulness in the current scenario?

 I was sitting in my father’s office and listening to music when the thought struck me of creating an FM School channel.

While aspersions may be cast on the originality of my idea, how many of us have seen this idea actually come to fruition?

The next thing after television that has huge penetration in rural India is radio. Why not use it as a virtual school?

If mobile phones (the Idea Internet Network) can be used a learning tool, can’t we use radios too? The FM channel can teach the same subjects that are taught in school; history, geography, science, and languages.

Remote villages do not have access to school or teachers. Children drop out of school because it is difficult for them to travel long distances. It is also not possible to set up school in every village and there is also the issue of availability of teachers.

If we can access banks from home, communicate with people overseas, isn’t it time for Digital India to get access to basic education at home?

Go into villages, and you will see people traveling with a transistor wherever they go. They have a radio in their farms so they can listen to music while working. Can’t they learn maths or language while working?

Your notebook is your field, and your stick is your pen.

What  I have mentioned here is just a seed of an idea. I truly hope we can get together, brainstorm and help it blossom into something great.

- Author: JZ  a volunteer with +Citizens Association For Child Rights                                                                 Editor: Anand Banerjee is an intern at NGO CACR, an education startup working to improve the functioning of public schools in India.

Images are used only for representation purposes. 

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Are we cognitively blind OR conveniently ignore the truth?

I love walking. I believe I have inherited this habit from my father. Walking helps to alleviate my stress, improve my concentration, and focus on the events of the day. But it has added benefits too. This hobby provides me with a means to observe my surroundings, analyse the real estate market, and get a glimpse of not only the economic conditions of our country, but also the changes in the cultural trends.

Now, that I am volunteering with NGO CACR I use this activity time to come up with ideas and to observe our society.One of the most important questions that has been on my mind lately is the living conditions and future of the street children that we come across every day.


 I see children living on the footpaths, railway platforms, and makeshift tents. One of the best observations is perhaps the sheer joy that I saw on their faces and in their eyes when some of them were using the newly installed escalator on a metro station. That kind of joy, which comes from deep within, tends to get imprinted on one’s mind.

I know I am not the only one who has seen them. Sometimes, I see authorities passing by and I question myself, “Are we all blind or is that only me who has misconceptions?” There are documentaries on rag pickers and I wonder if we need more proof to understand that there is a need to change their living conditions. We cause hue and cry on child labour in mills and factories, but what about these kids who live on the roads and platforms, who beg and sell items for a living?  We, 'busy' citizens , usually turn a blind eye to these children who beg for a rupee or two so that they can buy something to fill their bellies. If these children do not have access to the basic right of food, how can they even dream about education? Aren’t these technically child laborers too? 

When I wanted to define this condition that we suffer from, I came across the term "Cognitive Blindness". This term is heavily used in the US TV series, Perception. The term can be defined in lay man’s language as something that is ignored in the environment because its existence is taken for granted. If you  look around, you would find that we are blind to most of the things happening around us because we have accepted them as a fact and believe they wont change...because these occurrences don't concern us directly. 

What about the construction workers and their families who have to move to new places each time based on their new construction project. This is a common scenario in Mumbai, where there is either a road development or building development taking place. Their makeshift tents are on the pavements near their sites. so what happens to the kids of these workers? Do they go to school, do they go the same schools, or do they change school each time the job site changes. Do they have proof of identity attesting they are citizen of India and are they  beneficiary to subsidies? Do they have access to water and education? Are they eligible to open a bank account? They might have been residents in their villages, but that too is questionable. The government does talk about labour insurance for the poor and RTE Act but who will ensure their implementation?  


I agree there are a handful of organizations just working for street children.  But the mammoth task of getting the child off the street and into a school is a slow and difficult process. Are these agencies enough to deal with  such a large number of kids? 

There are so many questions.

CACR has been to many BMC ( innercity)  schools for their work. Few have closed down or on the verge of closing down because of lack of students. Some schools have closed down certain linguistic mediums because of insufficient number of students.These schools or classes close down when there are so many illiterate kids on the road, railway station, and orphanages. Ironic isn't it?   Some orphanages are looking city out for teachers when there is a Government school nearby.Shouldn't there be a rule making it a mandatory for kids to be sent to school ? If there is such a rule, its time the Government takes action for it to be executed successfully.

Nitin Sir the founder director of CACR had once told us that he had spent days to make the street dwellers understand the importance of a education and had to fight tooth and nail with the authorities for it. Isn’t it time we wake up from this artificial blindness and stop relying on breaking news to make us ascertain about the apathy of our society?

We need to find a solution for these streets kids so that they don't wind up as their parents did.We should see to it they get admission in Government schools, they attend it daily, and a suitable penalty is imposed on their family if they miss out.

Should there be an agency or separate branch of police for  monitoring street kids and the public/ALMs (Advanced locality management)/LACNs(Local Are Citizens Networks) / Neighborhood watches/etc be notified the  of such kids who are begging, loitering around, and not going to schools?Its time for the Government, media, NGOs, and schools to come together to take necessary actions.

-JZ volunteers with Citizens Association for child rights.  Website :www.ngocacr.com
(edited by Kavisha and Richa )

The Language Game

The debate over language is one that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight. The current curriculum has mandatory a National language, Regional language, and a Global language. But what we are failing to focus on is that, the higher we climb the ladder of education, the importance of language diminishes.

Language is essential to communicate an idea, to broker a deal, or to bring a change. Apart from technical skills and multiple degrees, communicating fluently is not only essential but imperative. But this thinking takes a backseat in our syllabus as we pursue a graduate or post-graduate course.

Language is either made optional or not included in the studies. Currently, we hear about huge gaps in industry wants and students’ capabilities and one of the causes is language abilities. Students are unable to form correct, cohesive sentences, verbally or written, in either the national, regional, or global language. Performances in interviews or group discussions are dismal.

                    

It is important that we continue to refine ourselves by improving our current language skills and adding to our repertoire, by learning more languages.

For example, if you are part of IT industry, BPO, or KPO, then you are aware that most of the companies are situated in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune. Most of the clientele are US and UK-based companies. So it is a necessity to learn the language of the customer and vendors/support staff who are residents of one of these places.

Similarly, if you are a part of the luxury retail segment, then learning a European language is an added advantage (most luxury retail brands are European based). Also the stores are either opened in Delhi or one of the metropolitan cities. Most of the clients communicate in English, so it is a must for store executives and managers to be fluent or proficient in it.

As a part of the hospitality industry, based on the location of your hotels/restaurant and your customer type (foreign or national), the staff should be able to communicate in the specific language. If you visit Goa, even a street vendor speaks in English as most of the tourists are foreigners.

Manufacturing facilities around the world have shifted their base to China or source their items from China so it is imperative for a purchase person to learn this language. As the whole world is shifting its focus on BRICS, specifically in India and China, learning the language is definitely beneficial for a career. As a part of the Social Service industry, it is important for you to know at least one language of each zone whose characters are similar to those of the other languages.

Most of the times, our level of comfort level is highest when we communicate in our mother tongue. We subconsciously feel more satiated to talk in our mother tongue or when we know our colleagues/ friends understand this language.

Movies like Lagaan, Kites, Chennai Express depict the barrier in communication if you do not know the language or have to depend on translators. Even actors are learning different languages to bring more sincerity in their roles.  Our movie industry has changed and dubs movie into different languages to reach wider audiences. Subtitles could have worked but they do not inculcate the same emotions or expressions.

It is time for students, institutions, and the Government to drop their proclivities and create a curriculum which focuses on languages, and effective communication based on the industry type.

- JZ is a volunteer with CACR, A education start-up working on the problems of child rights,education, and health. Website: www.ngocacr.com 

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Clean India Mission : It starts with ME

Before I start with this post, I would like to thank our Government for the “ स्वच्छ  भारत  अभियान  (Swach Bharat Abhiyan) - The Clean India Mission campaign that highlights the need to protect our heritage and to curb the problem of waste. With the world facing recession and unemployment, civil wars and migration, this issue has taken a backseat. The new Government of India has understood that lack of cleanliness is a existing problem and if measures are not taken it can snow ball into disasters in the future.

I am not going into deep discussion on the faults of the Government; rather I will concentrate on the Why’s.

I started observing my surrounding while traveling and working to understand the depth of this problem. The common kinds of waste that are found on the streets are:

1. Chocolate wrappers/tickets/ready-to-eat packages: Our minds are tuned in such a way that our hands automatically throw the wrapper without realizing our location.
2. People defecating/urinating/spitting: Spitting is such a common problem that it feels like everyone is suffering from Tuberculosis -TB. Some are addicted to the point that with every step they take, they spit. If you are a regular train traveler in India then people defecating/urinating/spitting is a common occurrence to the extent that our minds do not even register it.
3. Fruit skins: Fruits are good for health so are fruit skins for us and the environment. Do you know orange skin wards off mosquitoes and banana peels unclog sewage? 
4. Leftovers: This is the most common waste. Since it smells and attracts insects, the best way of disposing is throwing on the streets, right?
5. Leaves: Depends on the weather. Currently it is winter so I see the roads filled with dead leaves and stems.
6. Pamphlets: They are the cheapest way to advertise and most expensive loss of paper.

Now let’s focus on the scene of the crime:

1. Railway Station
2. Restaurant/street vendors
3. Public places, monuments, gardens, and zoos
4. Pilgrim/tourist places

The reasons of the crime:

1. Emergency
2. No dustbins in the vicinity
3. No toilets in the nearby area, existing toilets stink or are the breeding homes of the world’s most popular diseases
4. Apathy to ones surrounding atmosphere
5. False beliefs:My Nation is NOT my home, so as long as my home is clean why bother?
6. Old bad habit of littering 

Now who are the people who commit this crime? Practically everyone- from men to women, rich to poor, young to old; all are equal participants.

Poster made by a school child on cleanliness 

The current situation reminds me of Pareto’s principle - The 80:20 Rule. 80% of the waste is caused by us, citizens, while 20% is the negligence of Government. We keep our homes clean, but not our surroundings. We throw garbage on the roads, yet we blame the Government. We have maids to keep our homes clean, which does not mean we keep our homes  dirty considering the maid will clean it up. In the same way, though we have Government employees to clean the road, then why are the roads still unclean?

 We see pets taken for strolls and the animals conducting their business on the pavements or public gardens. Those with no access to toilets conduct their morning routines on rail tracks or footpaths. Is the Government to be blamed for all our actions? We can buy expensive TVs, mobiles, vehicles irrespective of our status but we are unable to contribute for building toilets in our locality.

The Government needs to be blamed for not providing adequate number of dustbins or toilets. The Government is responsible for not maintaining the toilets and not closing those that are managed improperly. The Government is responsible for replacing old or broken dustbins and for cleaning the toilets.We are responsible for controlling our actions and for finding suitable disposal methods. If a disease has gripped the locality,the reason lies in the waste we throw that clogs the sewage and the bacteria and other microorganisms that grow there and multiply.

 The Government is responsible for not picking the garbage daily, for not removing the waste that fill the roads, or for cleaning the sewage.We are responsible for teaching our children to throw wrappers on the street if there is no dustbin. We are responsible for teaching them to urinate on the rail tracks or the corner of the road if there are no toilets nearby. We are responsible for throwing fruits on the rail track after eating it lavishly in our first/second class compartment.

Pilgrim/tourist places are most common places where people come in groups and litter in tons. Government is responsible for not placing dustbin at equal intervals based on the number of tourist every year. We are responsible for not keeping waste bags to collect the waste and dispose it off once we find the dustbins.

We cannot only blame illiteracy or Government for these offences. Both literate and rich people are equally involved in perpetrating one of the above offences.

Children and teachers cleaning their own school playground during cleanliness week  

“CACR had organised many events for creating awareness and educating parents and children on cleanliness and waste management from  13^th to 19^th November through skits and other innovative programs. Children also contributed by writing open letters  to the Additional Municipal Commissioner, City and Education  (read here) for making the city clean”

We hope through these endeavors  the future generation learns the importance of waste management and do not allow history to be repeated. It is important for us to be educated and rational, but it is equally important for all of us to be clean people.

We can come up with a number of solutions but the most important is to consider littering and spitting as an offence. We need to fine people as well as charge them with community service to make them understand the bitter realities.

It’s easy to compare our country with other countries and blame the Government for inefficiencies. The irony of the situation is that while traveling to foreign countries we are epitome of model citizens, but within our own country we are repeated offenders of our environment.

The Government has already executed the first step of their strategy, i.e. Creating Awareness. Advertisements and influential people  from all walks of life are contributing to spread the message of “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. 

The next step is ours . Remember : Prevention is better than Cure.

The last step is of the Government for appropriate Waste Collection and Management. 

Lets do our duty and the Government will follow. 

--by JZ, a volunteer with Citizens Association for Child Rights a education non profit startup working to improve quality of health and education in municipal schools of Mumbai 

Mobile phones the new change agents?

We live in a world where lack of innovation can lead to one’s extinction. The question that one should ask here is whether innovation leads to the creation of breakthrough products or does it help execute the current ideas differently?

Today India as a country is gripped with the problem of educating its vast population. A firm command over the English language along with proficiency in computers can help the people of this nation move forward. One simple solution to tackle this problem is to generate enough teachers and resources that are able and willing to spread their knowledge in these respective fields. The sheer lack of such resources has made the growth of this country stagnant.

In order to change our existing situation it is important to adapt to the new age technology and innovations. One of the best solutions is the use of video tutorials-either online or offline. This method can lead to better and faster communication and spread of knowledge. But in a country where renting or owning a space is so very expensive, it becomes extremely difficult to create such a set up. Other problems such as weak Internet and electricity connections again cause hindrance to the smooth delivery of knowledge driven by technology.

So what is the real solution? Its time we observe our surroundings. Mobile phones can be an extremely effective and efficient solution. A mobile phone is the most penetrated product in every part of the country from the remotest village to the most popular urban area. We have all the statistics of the world for this product, yet how efficiently do we use it?

We have phones with inbuilt software and games. Here is an idea- Why not use these inbuilt features as our strength? Why not make it official for every mobile phone (irrespective of 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 4G, or 5G) to have a dictionary or a “word search” or “unscramble the words” game? 

Children irrespective of their age or literacy level are able to operate mobile phones efficiently. Along with playing games like “Angry birds” or “Fruit Ninja” etc. Why don’t we use this phone to improve one’s vocabulary and software skills?

 Mobile phones can be a medium to reach out to a large number of people so lets find ways to use this product for making a social change. Let us work together to be the change we want to see.

This article is written by JZ a volunteer with CACR a education non-profit working in inner-city schools of Mumbai,India.