Small Celebration with a Big Heart!

As India celebrates its 65^th Republic Day, all the Pratham Open Schools in Andhra Pradesh join the celebrations in their own little way. Final examinations are fast approaching for the current batch students, alongside the teams are also gearing up for the upcoming batch in the next academic year. The mobilisation process was started in November in all six centers. Five new cluster centers have been started in Hyderabad; one center has been started in Baptala. Republic Day was celebrated in all the new cluster centers with the new enrolled students.

In the new cluster center – Jaipuri Colony all the POSE staff members participated in the republic day celebrations of the “Mahila Samayaika Group” –SHG group. About 60 – 80 women attended the meeting. The entire group was oriented about the POSE program.  The President of the colony encouraged the women by offering the community hall for the cluster classes. This space also has a toilet and drinking water facility. He nominated the SHG group leaders to help the tutors during mobilisation as this will help them reach out to a larger group of girls/women in the community. It was a humbling experience to see all the women take a lead in the flag hoisting ceremony in their basti.

Chaderghat – a new cluster celebrated the Republic Day with the students, ward memebrs, couselers and local leadres of the clusters. As the cluster was started in December not many people in the community knew about the POSE program. The republic day celebrations was an ice-breaker in this community. The local leaders promised their support to help mobilise drop girls/women. Various competitions were conduted for all present.  The celebrations here ended on a happy note by distributing  small gifts and sweets.

Shivarampally cluster center celebrated the Republic day with the community leaders. All the clusters students particpated in the celebrations. Community leaders participated in the event. They promised to let a free space in their community for the cluster level classes. They also gave their suggestions about lesser known communities where mobilisation could be done. The celebrations ended on a good note with the State Head thanking the community for their support and encouragment.

In Baptala, the republic day was celebrated in the District Inspection office and the one present cluster center – Karlepalem. All students and officials were oriented about the POSE program. The officials were elated to know that dropout girls/women are being supported for completing their class ten exam.

All the community centers recognised the need for the Pratham Open School of Education. All of them were not only aware of the benefits with a class ten certificate but also recognised that no better platform can encourage girls/women to be a part Institutional learning within in their own communities.