Intervention(s)
Intervention 1) Pratham staff started a series of conversations about education in small groups throughout the community. These conversations covered the current status of schools in the village, the quality of local schools, state mandated provisions for schools, mid-day meals, and local funds available for education. People were asked if they knew about the VEC and its membership and responsibilities. After two days of meetings in small groups, a community-wide meeting was held where people were encouraged to discuss and ask for information about the VEC, with information gaps filled in by Pratham' s field workers. VEC members also received a pamphlet on their roles and responsibilities from the Pratham staff.
Intervention 2) In addition to the steps outlined above, communities were trained and encouraged to conduct testing to see if children could read simple text and solve basic arithmetic problems. Volunteers put together a "report card" for each community, which was presented at the community-wide meeting.
Intervention 3) In addition to the above two steps, Pratham officers taught volunteers a simple technique for helping children learn to read. Volunteers were encouraged to start after-school reading classes - they were invited to attend training sessions which lasted for four days, and staff returned an average of seven times to provide in-service training. The typical "reading course" lasted two to three months, with classes held every day outside of school. The objective was to use Pratham-designed materials and local volunteers to supplement the normal curriculum, and improve literacy among village children.