MICRO-STUDIES

PVCR-AP micro study on RCFCE provisions implementation status
(Only Government Upper Primary Schools)

Findings of the Micro Study

Districts: 7 districts covered

Mandals: 60 Mandals covered

Schools: 69 schools covered

As it has been 5 years since the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RCFCE Act) was passed, PVCR-AP wanted to assess the implementation status of important provisions in the Act and also some other important indicators related to schools.  Hence, during the months of December 2015 and January 2016, PVCR-AP conducted micro study in 69 upper primary schools across 60 Mandals in 7 Districts of Andhra Pradesh (Nellore, Chittoor, Anantapur, YSR Kadapa, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram). 

Below mentioned are the Key Findings of the Study

1. In 74% of the schools, there are 7 or less than 7 teachers in each school.
2. Only 17/22 Para teachers / Vidya Volunteers are trained which is 77%.  23% of the para teachers are not trained.
3. The Verandah / outside space is used for teaching purpose in 62% of the schools.
4. Only 23% of the schools have furniture for sitting and keeping books  in classes while 16% schools did not have such furniture at all and 61% of the schools have such furniture only in a few classes.
5. Only 71% of the schools have functional toilets for boys.
6. 12% of the schools where functional toilets are available for boys are not giving boys access to toilets.
7. Only 87% of the schools have functional toilets for girls.
8. 7% of the schools where functional toilets are available for girls are not giving girls access to toilets.
9. Only 54% of the schools have compound wall.
10. Only 71% schools have kitchen shed.
11. Only 36% of the schools have play ground.
12. Only 65% of the schools have library.
13. Only 19% of the schools have laboratory facility in the school.
14. Only 70% of the schools have provided free uniforms to all children in the school.  19% of the schools did not provide uniforms at all and 12% of the schools provided uniforms to only some children.
15. 90% of the schools have provided free text books to all children in the school.  10% of the schools provided text books to only some children.
16. SMCs are not reconstituted in any of the schools.  The term of previous SMCs has got over.  No notification was issued by the government for reconstitution of SMCs.

Other findings:

• Only 33% of the schools have separate office-cum-store-cum-Head Teacher’s room.
• The condition of 87% buildings is safe while the condition is not safe in 13% of the school buildings.
• Black Board is not in good condition in 9% of the schools.
• 71% of the schools have electricity connection to classes while 3% schools did not have electricity connection at all and 26% of the schools have electricity connection to only a few classes.
• 38% of the schools have fans in classes while 19% schools did not have fans at all and 43% of the schools have fans only in a few classes.
• Only 77% of the schools have drinking water source within the school premises.  23% of the schools do not have water source within the school premises.

Other important observations during the survey:

1. Many teachers were absent from work without any information.  Some teachers are attending the school very late.
2. In many schools, there are not enough toilets for the strength of the school.
3. Though many schools have kitchen shed, cooking is done in open space / outside the kitchen.
4. Quality of midday meals is not good.  The insufficient budget for midday meals seems to be the main reason.  Other gap in midday meals scheme is no payments to vendors on time.

Recommendations by PVCR-AP:

1. Government to allocate sufficient budgets for education in the budgets for 2016-17 in order to ensure adherence to provisions in the RCFCE Act.
2. To ensure one teacher per class in all the schools.
3. As far as possible, to see that only regular teachers are appointed in all the schools.  Where there are para teachers, to ensure that only trained persons are appointed.
4. To ensure one room per class / section in all the schools so that all the students will have the opportunity to study in class rooms.
5. To ensure desks for all children in all the schools.
6. To ensure functional toilets for boys and girls in all the schools and to ensure that all children are given access to toilets.  To ensure construction of additional toilets according the strength of the school.
7. To ensure compound wall with gate in all the schools.
8. To ensure pucca kitchen shed in all the school and instruct the school authorities to cook only inside the kitchen sheds.
9. To ensure play ground in all the schools. 
10. To ensure library in all the schools as it is important for the knowledge development of children.
11. To ensure laboratory facility in all the schools.
12. To take measures to ensure that free uniforms and text books are provided at the beginning of academic year to all children. 
13. To issue notification for the reconstitution of School Management Committees in all the schools as the SMCs are not functioning for the past almost one year.
14. To ensure separate office room / Teachers’ room in all the schools.
15. To take measures to ensure the safety of school buildings.
16. To ensure good Black Board in all the schools.
17. To ensure electricity connection, fans and drinking water source within school premises in all the classes / schools.
18. To ensure proper monitoring by higher authorities in order to see that all teachers attend the school as per the working hours fixed by the government.
19. To increase budgets for midday meal programme in order to ensure quality midday meals to all children.