STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM Maitree, an Outreach Programme of East & West Educational Society

Under Maitree Programme, launched in 2003 in its first phase the society took up the enrollment and education of about 800 out of school children in villages around the school in Bela. These children got enrolled in schools, where community volunteers ensured their retention by offering their services in government schools for some time. During the second phase taken up January 2012, the focus shifted on the quality improvement in the area covered by Bela-Lakshmanpur CRC and Neura panchayat. This covers 23 government schools and some private schools in a cluster of 18 villages. Some of the past work of the Society which provided the necessary experiences in rural intervention and pedagogic innovation included Drishti programme taken up in Fatuha in the 1990s, work of Prativesh on environmental education and some studies on educational planning

Drishti in Fatuha Block

For Literacy Campaign in 1991 several types of activities were added. Bal Melas were organized in schools, Kala Jatthas were raised which presented programmes across the entire block. Simultaneously environmental programmes were organized like large scale tree plantation or demonstration of energy saving devices like improved chulhsa etc. Library-cum-activity centres were opened at 15 places and large number of village Volunteers were trained who are now working at different places.

Prativesh, East & West Centre for Environment Education

Prativesh is the unit of the Society dedicated to develop and promote innovative teaching learning strategies of environmental education. It was recognized in 2002 as the Nodal Agency of the Ministry of HRD, Government of India for the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and W. Bengal. This unit has worked with grass root NGOs in the four states.

Pilot Project on Educational Planning

Addition of Infrastructural facilities

Supported by Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF) the Society analysed the role of the civil society in educational planning from below as envisaged in the SSA plan. Three blocks in the districts of Patna, Samastipur and Khagaria were taken up to understand the process in the making of DEEP AND SEEP (District and State plans). A Manual was prepared and published by the Society for bottom up approach of planning which was endorsed by Bihar Education Project Council also.