The National Curriculum Framework 2005 states that a critical function of education for equality is to enable all learners to claim their rights as well as to contribute to society and the polity. We need to recognise that rights and choices in themselves cannot be exercised until essential human capabilities are recognised. Thus, in order to make it possible for all learners from different socio-economic backgrounds, especially girls. to claim their rights as well as play an active role in shaping collective life, education must empower them to overcome the disadvantages of unequal socialisation and enable them to develop their capabilities of becoming equal citizens.
Reaching out to the girl child has been central to the efforts of Universalising Elementary Education (UEE). The Sana Shiksha Abhiyan (SSAL, a national flagship programme for UEE recognises the need for special efforts to bring girls, especially from disadvantaged groups, to schools, and to bridge gender disparities in education at the elementary level. In this regard the Ministry of Human Resource Development attempts to address social, cultural and economic deprivation faced by giris from marginalised and disadvantaged sections of remote and rural areas, by instituting the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme, an innovative and promising initiative of the Government of India. Introduced as a scheme in 2004 it became a part of SSA in 2007. Currently it is operational in twenty-four states and one union territory.
The Bridge course is also an important step in translating some of the concerns stated in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, particularly in the context of ensuring that the children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups are not discriminated and prevented from pursuing and completing elementary education, and providing course of study for elementary education.
A National Consultation on KGBV was organised by NCERT from 11 to 12 August 2008 to share experiences generated by the KGBV scheme operational over the last few years. This consultation brought together scholars from different fields. The consultation strongly recommended the development of Bridge Courses for girls enrolling in KGBV. It also recommended customised Teacher Training packages for upgrading the skills of KGBV teachers. Under this backdrop, the Department of Women's Studies took the initiative for developing the Bridge Courses and Teacher Training packages based on NCF-2005, in collaboration with other Curricular Departments of NIE, RIEs, University Departments, DIETs of Delhi, NGOs and practicing school teachers, including teachers of KGBV.
The Bridge Course for girls of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) has been developed keeping in view the guiding principles of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 that marks a departure from the legacy of bookish learning which continues to shape our system and causes a gap between the school, home and community. These materials developed in different subject areas, viz. English, Hindi, History, Geography, Science. and Mathematics are based on the NCERT primary and upper primary textbooks. All these subject areas in the Bridge Course will contribute to the learning skills of KGBV girls and will prepare them for entering into the upper primary stage. Use of bilingual approach in English and History course books of Bridge Course will take girls ahead in their learning and thinking skills. The flexibility in the approach and suggested activities taking the help of worksheets, teacher demonstration, anecdotes, reciting poems. crossword puzzles, experimenting, hands on skills, oral traditions and reading material across various subjects are the highlights of the Bridge Course.
Each subject area has used key concepts across the primary and upper primary textbooks of NCERT based on NCF-2005. Each concept has been dealt with through a different kind of activity without bringing any definition and the content for rote learning. The concept or the idea has been dealt through activities for the learners to understand, analyse and then apply in the given context. It is hoped that this material to be used as the bridge between primary and upper primary stage, will fulfill the learning needs of dropout girls. The activities are suggestive. Any alternate activity can also be carried out based on the local specific contexts. Each activity has the scope of creating similar other local-specific activities for encouraging learners to go beyond the course book. Its scope will get enhanced if this creates a space for more such activities.
The Bridge Course developed in different subjects is gender inclusive. It highlights the participation and contribution of women in diverse fields. This suggestive material is an effort in keeping the plurality and different contexts of KGBV girls in mind. The pedagogical approaches woven in Bridge Course attempts to address the multilevel and diverse needs of KGBVS located in different socio-cultural contexts. The Bridge Course has been tried and tested at NIE, NCERT from 22 February to 3 March 2010 on forty-four master trainers deputed by nine states, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand. Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan. Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal The feedback received during the training of the master trainers have, been duly incorporated. However, more suggestions, if any, will be welcome.
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