60 years of netarhat : Lessons for Inclusive Quality Schooling

Vijoy Prakash, IASPrincipal Secretary, Department of Transport, BiharNetarhat School(1967-72), Arun Ashram

60 Years of Netarhat EducationLessons for Inclusive Quality

Schooling

NETARHAT SCHOOL: GENESIS

In 1948 Bihar Legislative Assembly made a recommendation for setting up of a Boarding School on the pattern of English Public School on a private motion of Sarjoo Prasad Sinha, MLA

FG Pearce prepared the project Major role of CM Shrikrishna Singh, Education Minister Badri

Narayan Verma, Chief Secretary LPSingh, and Education Secretary Jagadish Chandra Mathur

Conceived as an Indian Public School supported by government fund in contrast to English Public Schools run without any support from government

Established in November 1954 Netarhat experiment has been able to inspire many schools such as

Indira Gandhi Girls School, Hazaribagh, Simultalla School (Bihar), Navodaya Vidyalayas, Residential Schools in Andhra Pradesh etc.

IDENTIFICATION OF MERITORIOUS CHILDRENADMISSION TEST

Admission only on the basis of merit with reservation for weaker sections in the age group (10-12 yrs)

Multi layer screening Three components

Written Viva Voce Psychological Tests

But the admission test is based on testing verbal and logical intelligence. So the process captures talented only in limited area. Talented in the field of Art, Music, Drama or Sports are not captured.

INCLUSIVE ARCHITECTURE

Teacher centric small classrooms for 20-24 children with attached teacher room

Ashram – each for accommodating 20-24 students and a teacher with family having traditional courtyard based architecture to facilitate close interaction

Laboratories – Physics, Chemistry and Biology each with its own lecture theatre

Workshops- Metal work, Wood work, Art and Music

Agricultural Farm

Google map of Netarhat School : Spread across the plateau

Smaller classroom with teacher’s room attached to it for keeping TLM

FLEXIBLE AND INCLUSIVE CURRICULA

Grouping of children in classes of 20 students separately for Hindi, Mathematics and EnglishFor facilitating Learning at one’s own pace of learning

Teacher driven curriculum – freedom to design curriculum Standard text of college standard vs Classwise texts

Arithmetic by YCChakraborty, Algebra by KPBasu, Geometry by Hall and Stevens,

Zoology by Jordon and Nigam, Botany by Dutta Physics by Saha and Prasad, etc

Such texts provide freedom to children to learn more as per one’s own pace. So talented children have scope for learning more. This technique has been useful in helping genius like Vashishtha Narayan Singh and many more to complete degree level courses at school level itself.

Teaching in Hindi at secondary level to facilitate better understanding of subject matter. English taught as an additional language.

EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION WIDER SPECTRUM OF SUBJECTS Science

Physics Chemistry Biology

Mathematics Hindi English Sanskrit History Geography Social Studies Economics Art Music Agriculture Metal work Woodwork

EDUCATIONAL INCLUSIONWIDE RANGE OF GAMES/ HOBBIES

Large number of indoor and outdoor games/sports- 8 Sports fields, Lawn Tennis, Basket Ball. Volley ball field

Photography Aero modeling Ship building Computers Scouting Gardening Drama Observing Stars Mathematical Society NCC

Army wing, Air wing and Naval wing Opportunity for nursing and grooming of all types of abilities

and intelligence.

Oath taking ceremony before the start of the Athletics Competition

Pyramid making and Bhartiyam: New dimensions of learning

Camp life outside Ashram is always a welcome treat.

SOCIAL INCLUSION

Reservation for SC/ ST through common Admission Test SC/ST children distributed evenly in all Ashrams to promote

inclusive living Ashram life promoted inclusive living

All children to take up serving, cleaning and washing through roster

In many schools children wash their dish or clean the toilet used by them. But, we can not create impact on the caste system unless children of all communities, irrespective of caste and creed, wash the dish of all and clean the common toilet used by all.

Nobody talked about caste or religion of the teachers, students or staff

Inclusive Salutation – Teachers as Shrimanjee, Ladies as Mata jee, Seniors and professionals addressed with suffix of ‘jee’ such as Vijoy jee, Malijee, Naijee, etc.

Nowhere ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ is used

Dining hall in an Ashram: Same space is used for Swadhyaya. Dining is preceded by Mantras and Swadhyaya by 5 minutes’ ‘Mauna’ (An exercise for

inner visualisation). – Why?

ADRISHTI- A COMPLETE VISUALISATION At School of Creative Learning Inner

Visualisation Exercises have been developed to guide visualisation activities, which has also been linked to their creative exercises. These exercises are called ‘Adrishti Yog’.

It has been found that children following inner visualisation exercises develop their learning ability manifold more than those who do not practice.

ADRISHTI : A COMPLETE VISUALISATION

It is followed by creative exercises like drawing pictures, composing poems, etc.

These exercises help learners to develop power of concentration, memory and imagination. It further helps them to have better emotional control, which is now considered to be so vital for achieving success in life.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION

Fees to be paid on the basis of income of the parents

All children given same facilities irrespective of the Fees being paid by them Common Dress, books and stationeries Equal Ashram facilities - utensils, bed and bed

sheets Unhindered access to sports/ library/ hobby/ NCC

facilities all without any fees Common study tour, picnic etc.

Lesson for RTE

INCLUSIVE LIVING 24 HOURS’ LEARNING

Unique Ashram System Each Ashram having 20-24 students Three Ashrams in a set with common kitchen Entire management of Ashram by students (No menial staff in

the Ashram) Cleaning of toilets and sweeping Ashrama Serving of food,

Cleaning of dishes Morning to evening strict routine

PT and games Swadhyaya in evening with Mauna

Chanting of Mantra during food Ashramadhyaksha to dine with children Role of Ashram Mata Taking notes of news by Radio listening

Roster of daily chores like sweeping, washing, cleaning, etc. Radially shown are Roll numbers of

inmates of the Ashram

EVERY OCCASION IS A LEARNING OCCASION

Netarhat Education is Unique blend of Formal and Informal Learning systemAssembly – a great learning occasionFesivals as a learning occasion: Cultural linkage

Holika dahan and Holi, Diwali and Saraswati PujaRepublic day, Independence day and School day

‘Better than the best’ approachVillage visit : camp lifeStudy tourUse of vacation for learningForest as a place of learning

Visit of forest to collect leaves, seeds etc. Bird WatchingSnake caught from forest by Vasudevan jee and brought to laboratory

Decoration in an Ashram on the occasion of Deepawali

Holika Dahan: Children bring dry wood from the forest. Message from four directions are read in four different Indian

languages, translated in Hindi also, and heap of wood is burnt by torches from four directions. It is followed by Holi

songs like Jogira.

Playing with colours during Holi organised on ground number 4 only.

Enthusiasm of children coordinated and regulated.

Parade of all NCC wings on the occasion of Republic/Independence day and School day

UNIQUE LIBRARY SYSTEM

Large collection of books and magazines Open access to shelf for children and

teachers Old magazines kept in bound form Activities to promote book reading

Antakshari Essay writing Book Review Library during leisure Facility for issuing books

Newspaper StandA useful tool to inculcate the habit of

newspaper reading

UNIQUE EVALUATION SYSTEM

Monthly test Semester System Grade System

Attempt (Prayas) Achievement (Saphalata ) and Dedication(Nishtha)

Special report to parents in words Teacher driven evaluation

Examples of unique evaluations such as one problem many solutions

STRONG PEER LEARNING

Warm Welcome of students on the first day of arrival and Mentoring of children by seniors – no ragging

Close interaction in Ashrams Group competition (sports, drama, Antakshari

etc.) based on Ashrams/ Sets/batch Cross country Picnics Study tours Conducting classes during elections

Cross Country Race: The points are given to each runner on the basis of rank (e.g. 1st 40, 2nd 39 ….. and so on) and the winning

group is declared on the basis of highest points achieved by a group.

HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS

Highly qualified and dedicated teachers and Principal screened at all India level and even abroad

Pay Scale equal to the college teachers and Principal

Special administrative system under direct control of government

Now given autonomy and is run by Netarhat Vidyalaya Samiti headed by a Netarhat Allumni.

ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Netarhat Experiment has been able to produce large number of school and university toppers. One can also find large number of IAS, IPS, Scientists, Engineers, Doctors or other professionals among its alumni, but the real challenge remains to assess the number of change agents produced by it in the society.

ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Can we change the admission system to capture talented and meritorious in different types of intelligence to really nurse and groom the talented and genius?

How can we change the pedagogy to introduce Creativity and Innovation in the learning process?

How can we produce more entrepreneurs? How can we integrate more technology in the learning

system to make it more effective? How can we support the talented children in post

school period? How can we make the system more cost efficient?

Thanks for giving company in this creative journey

of the wonderful education system of the

country.