Sakshi NFE's prepare slum school drop-outs for mainstreaming by proactively tracking them down, motivating them to go back to school, helping them catch up on the studies they missed and getting them admission to schools.

Convincing the parents who are themselves illiterate (day labor, farm workers) and therefore unaware of the value of education, while daughters are needed to help at home and sons to supplement family income, is a complex task.

The high drop-out rate at MCD slum schools is due to a number of factors.

• Boys drop out to work and supplement the family income.
• Girls drop out to help at home.
• A lack of toilets at school is also a big factor why girls stop attending.
• Both girls and boys drop out to take care of younger siblings because the parents work every day to keep the family's head above water.
• Pupils who may be having trouble keeping up with the syllabus drop out because they have no one to ask for extra help. 

Sakshi has various programs which address these reasons. Our Water, Hygiene, Sanitation Project builds toilets, our EECD centres take care of young siblings and our Library Program and Remedial Centres coach students who need help outside class.

Having addressed the reasons the child dropped out in the first place, Sakshi's Non-Formal Education centres (NFE), described here, address the need to track the children who have dropped out and help them mainstream back into the formal schooling system.

Recruitment

The first step is to track down drop-outs and motivate them and their parents to send the former back to school. Convincing the parents who are themselves illiterate (day labor, farm workers, factory workers) and therefore unaware of the value of education is a complex task. Sakshi organizes home visits and monthly meetings between teachers and parents to spread awareness about the value of education.

A big help is that Sakshi teachers are recruited from the communities being served, so people have more trust in the message and can see the advantages of education fructified in the form of the better socio-economic status the teachers enjoy.
 

Preparing Drop-Outs for Mainstreaming back into Formal School System

At NFE's, Sakshi utilises its "joyful learning" model to help students catch-up on the school work they missed and also learn life skills. Lessons are taught through games, songs, role play etc. This not only equips drop-outs with the necessary subject skills but also develops social skills and motivates them to rejoin formalschooling as they realize learning can be fun.

Sakshi does not intend to create a parallel education system so the aim is to prepare students to be mainstreamed into formal schooling in one year. In March (end of school year), Sakshi helps the students gain admission into MCD schools.
 

Providing Help Through Adjustment Period at Formal Schools

As part of its Remedial Centre and Library Program, Sakshi keeps track of its NFE graduates till they clear secondary school, ensuring they mainstream successfully, regularly assessing their progress and helping them with extra classes, motivation as needed.

How You Can Help

Education is a child's right and need, mainstreaming marginalized street children and giving them the confidence and ability to chart their own destiny. If you wish to help, you can:

• Donate to Sakshi and if you want, specify that the donation go towards an existing NFE
• Sponsor a new NFE which can be named after you, your foundation or anyone else you wish to dedicate it to. Please contact us at sakshi.cec@gmail.com for a project proposal.

Related Links

Learn about the three pillars of the Sakshi Education Model