Education is a major intervention for AAK, especially that of the children of the SC/ST category and that of the girl child. AAK believes that it is the responsibility of the government to provide education for all children. AAK has sought to increase education facilities in the area, improve the quality of education in the area and fill in gaps in the government educational programme in the area.

Primary girls schools: (Oxfam)Two primary schools for girls’ education have been started to provide quality education Mawai Kalan and Byogna. Field exposure and extra-curricular activities are arranged for students as part of the educational input. AAK is in the process of formal registration of these schools and hopes that the government will contribute resources for the smooth functioning of these schools.

AAK believes that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure quality education. Towards this, efforts have been to mobilise adequate schooling infrastructure and adequate human resources in the areas that we work. AAK has also undertaken gap filling efforts of running alternate primary schools where government schools are not present-while continuing pressure on the administration to establish schools as fast as possible. Over time, AAK has reduced alternate schools from 20 to 3 as new govt. schools have been started in areas that we work.

AAK recognises that skilled and motivated teachers are essential for effective schools. Towards this, AAK works with the Education department to further capacitate govt. school teachers through training and provisioning local libraries.

Encouragement to children to regularly attend school has not only meant undertaking regular enrollment drives but also motivating parents to send children to school, especially the girl child. Towards this, AAK has actively supported Village Education Committees and established SPTAs. We feel that children will take interest in school if learning is enabled in a fearfree joyful atmosphere and where broader interventions to develop students capacity are undertaken. We regularly take students for exposure visits and work towards their personality development. AAK fully subscribes to the govt.s effort to encourage children to get a freshly cooked warm meal in school under the Mid-day Meal Scheme and works towards making it effective in the villages that we work in. AAK also develops mechanisms such as youth councils and school management committees to empower children and communities to influence what happens in schools. This approach is vital in achieving effective education and a safe school environment.

Within the covered villages in school quality improvement project 5 schools have been selected for quality improvement. These are:-

l Primary school Basuhara

l Primary School Mawai Khurd

l Primary School Bimauri

l Primary School Subanw Kala.

l Primary School Devghata Pandey

The focal areas of AAK’s interventions include:

• Quality education through teachers training and library
• Making Mid-day meals programme effective
• Enrollment drive especially for girls and SC/ST children
• Personality development of childtren
• Enabling Village Education Committees and Student Parent Teachers Associations
• Supporting Aaganwadis
• Early Child Care & Development
• Learning without fear/Joyful learning
• Children forum
• Provisioning Teaching and learning materials