UNICEF boost to bring back school dropouts to Thane civic schools

With children dropping out of schools during the lockdown, bringing them back to learning was an uphill task for most teachers; to help them, teachers from Thane Municipal Corporation’s civic schools were trained in a UNICEF programme on how to involve students in education

THANE For more than two years, most children, especially those of the migrants or from the lower strata of the society, have lost their connection with school and education due to the lockdown.

A teacher helps a child at the programme to bring back dropouts from schools in Thane. The programme was funded by UNICEF and conducted by several NGOs. (HT PHOTO)

Most of them dropped out of schools to help their parents. Many others could not afford a smartphone. Bringing these students back to learning is an uphill task for most teachers and to help them, teachers from the Thane Municipal Corporation’s civic schools were trained in a UNICEF programme on how to involve students in education.

The programme was funded by UNICEF and conducted by several NGOs including Pratham Education Foundation, Sacred, State Council of Education and Research Training and Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and training. The programme, which trained more than 200 teachers from 28 schools, also involved students and parents.

Hemlata Sasane, district programme head, Thane, Pratham Education Foundation, said, “Under this programme, UNICEF has selected four cities and districts of Maharashtra and provided funds for the training. The programme focused on encouraging teachers to use different teaching skills to engage children. The schools were selected from localities where there were more dropouts or migration. Hygiene training was also given to the teachers who in turn can teach the students to ensure safety protocols are maintained.”

The foundation has also created groups on social media to get in touch with parents and provide them with innovative ideas to help their children connect. Those parents who do not have a smart phone are helped by other parents in the neighbourhood.

Sasane added, “Teachers will use different games, activities using common items like pebbles, vegetables or sprouts. Music is also used as a medium to impart knowledge. Some of the activities are difficult and all children might not be able to pass them. However, we do not fail anyone so as not to discourage them.”

TMC block education coordinator, Aslam Kungle, said that the parents and children actively participated in training along with the teachers. He said, “Involvement of parents is crucial to engage children in school. Our teachers will continue to send videos and activities to children through which parents also can teach children at home. This was a pilot project and we will be taking more such sessions in the future.”