Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi
Arts Education | 25-09-2008 - 25-09-2011 | Completed

Bharath Gyan Vigyan Samithi (BGVS) is dedicated to promoting primary education, primary health care, women's empowerment and rural development. It is a national organisation, founded in 1990 under the National Literacy Mission Authority to support ongoing literacy campaigns. Over the years, BGVS has mobilised large numbers of scientists, artists and volunteers to work on literacy and environmental awareness. BGVS has created a variety of materials and resources for illiterates and neo-literates. As the National Literacy Mission has begun to wane, and organisations like BGVS have been forced to seek project-by-project support from -various funders, BGVS's own focus has shifted to ensuring maximum enrolment in primary education and to minimising dropout rates. To this end, BGVS launched a campaign entitled 'Joy of Learning'. Through this initiative, BGVS has come to an understanding of the central role of the arts and the local environment in primary education. BGVS Karnataka publishes a Kannada magazine, Teacher, which has a monthly circulation of 5000 copies throughout the state. 

The District Quality Education Project (DQEP), also known as Vidyankura, was envisioned by a team from the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) as a district-wide experiment in quality primary education. It built on the existing Central Government District Primary Education Project (DPEP). Supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), the DQEP was based on detailed diagnostic analysis of children's learning levels and teaching methodologies in the classroom. One key programme under DQEP was the IFA-funded Art-in-Education (AiE) programme. Since early 2008, NIAS has transferred the running of the DQEP to BGVS, and SRTT has renewed its support for the programme. With this grant, IFA renews its support for the AiE component of the DQEP for a further three years. BGVS seeks to intensify the AiE efforts in Chamarajnagar District and selected administrative blocks all across Karnataka. 

The Vidyankura team at Chamarajnagar now consists of eight full-time field persons and four more will be recruited. E. Basavaraju, Vice President of BGVS. was associated with the project when it was under the NIAS umbrella. He will now coordinate the entire project from the BGVS Bangalore office. Shivnanju, an associate of the key resource persons, Jane and Roshan Sahi, will anchor the AiE programme in the field, and will be based in Chamarajnagar. The original consultants, Jane Sahi and Roshan Sahi, will continue to be associated with the project. While Jane will provide advisory support, Roshan will be the key consultant, responsible for continuation of training, development of materials, extension of activities and the Art Melas. 

Under the earlier phase of AiE, the following components and activities were undertaken:

• Development of AiE Master Resource Persons (MRPs), with a focus on imparting pedagogical knowledge that make art an integral part of primary education

• Direct support for art activities in 28 schools, including material and instructional support for implementing the AiE programme in these schools • Development of an AiE resource book for teachers. The book is now in its second (now commercial) edition in Kannada, and English and Hindi versions are expected soon.

• Conducting Art Melas at the Block level 

• Updating, revision and consolidation of AiE workshops with MRPs 

 

This description is part of the institutional records created by IFA at the onset of the grant. The project may have changed in due course as reflected in the deliverables from the Grantee.

 

Mid-term Deliverables

Final Deliverables

Media Coverage

Metadata

Project/Grant No : 2008-1-005

Project Coordinator/Grantee Name : Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi

Programme : Arts Education

Status : Completed

Start Date : 25-09-2008

End Date : 25-09-2011

Duration : Three years

Project/Grant Amount : 12,91,250

Geographical Area of Work : Karnataka

Disciplinary Field of Work : Multidisciplinary

Language : Kannada