A joyful makeover for schools

To usher in the right infrastructure with all basic amenities for classroom learning, District 3150 comprising the State of Telangana, and Prakasam and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, kicked off a flagship project called Save our Schools (SoS) on July 1 at Bhashyam Public School in Guntur with fanfare.

The project was launched to ­convert learning centres into ‘Happy Schools’, through Global Grant with support from TRF, RC Jesup, D 6920, USA and 16 clubs of D 3150. Under this integrated project, one lakh study desks would be presented to government schools over a three-year period. “We aim to cover nearly 600 schools by June 30, 2017. A 57-member Task Force has been set up to plan and execute the project which will meet once a month to take stock of the progress,” said the Chairman of the Task Force, PDG Ravi Vadlamani. The members visit classrooms, talk with principals and teachers to identify and evaluate the needs of the schools.

Quick to clarify that distribution of school desks is just a part of their mega project, Vadlamani informs that ­various Rotary clubs have taken up a series of training workshop for ­teachers who are being taught how to inculcate best practices in hygiene, sanitation among students. ­“Rotarians take the initiative to hold such ­workshops that usher in ­attitudinal and mindset change among ­teachers which will have a trickle-down effect on students,” he explains. The District has so far spent Rs 3 crore under the various elements of the SoS programme and it will touch Rs 10 crore by June 30, 2017. Next in the District’s ‘to do’ list includes the WASH in Schools and E-learning programmes.

Created by the DG, DGE and DGN, the SoS Task Force has a three-year tenure to discharge its duties. The project envisages involvement of the local community too in giving quality education to children. The relevant club would set up a ‘monitoring mechanism’ at school-level to improve the hygiene and sanitation aspects in the immediate environment.

The 9 criteria for ‘Happy Schools’:
1. Painted, well maintained and secure school building
2. Adequate and functional separate toilets for boys and girls
3 Hand washing stations
4. Clean and adequate drinking water for students and teachers
5. Library
6. Play material, games and sports equipment
7. Benches, desks for students
8. Well maintained space for teaching staff
9. Shoes and school bags for students.

At the club-level, a committee strictly monitors the implementation of SoS project, especially the distribution of benches, installation of toilet facilities and hand wash initiative in schools, says KSRK Prasad, District Secretary and past president of RC Parchur Central.