Improving learning outcomes for slum children

Online teaching: Our teachers and vocational manager closely worked with the students on this. Students were given assignments over phone calls, WhatsApp or contacted through local helpers in the slum. They were over enthusiastic and completed it and got back to their teachers for correction. We have started physical classes for 9 & 10 maintaining all the Covid protocols.

Providing dry rations: School feeding component of Calcutta Rescue provides the children with their most nutritious meal of the day. Since the lockdown we have been reaching out to these children and their family by providing them dry rations which includes rice, pulses, cooking oil, flour and potatoes.

Addressing domestic violence and exploitation: This is especially the case for girls and young women whose duties include doing household chores, and caring for family members. Also domestic violence has been on the rise ever since the lockdown started. Our school counsellor has been dealing with several such cases, providing online counselling support not just to the student but also to the entire family. Children are encouraged to bring out their creativity through art work and write-ups.

Addressing health and hygiene issues of slum children: To complement the above initiatives there is a need to inculcate healthy and hygienic habits amongst this population. Hence, sanitizers, face mask and sanitary napkins are distributed amongst students. Besides this multivitamins are also being given to students by our clinic doctors.

New education project: We have started a new project named 'Education on Wheels' for the pre-primary students of the slum areas. Our school bus will move around the slums serving like a mobile class room and reaching out to non-formal children. The teachers will go around in the School vehicle and conduct classes/activity classes for preschoolers inside the bus maintaining physical distancing. Students will get fun worksheets for revision of syllabus. This project has started from 7th December, 2020.

Since our last report in May, 2020, we have been working on the following meticulousluy:

• Online teaching: Our teachers and vocational manager closely worked with the students on this. Students were given assignments over phone calls, WhatsApp or contacted through local helpers in the slum. They were over enthusiastic and completed it and got back to their teachers for correction.
• Providing dry rations: School feeding component of Calcutta Rescue provides the children with their most nutritious meal of the day. Since the lockdown we have been reaching out to these children and their family by providing them dry rations which includes rice, pulses, cooking oil, flour and potatoes.
• Addressing domestic violence and exploitation: This is especially the case for girls and young women whose duties include doing household chores, and caring for family members. Also domestic violence has been on the rise ever since the lockdown started. Our school counsellor has been dealing with several such cases, providing online counselling support not just to the student but also to the entire family. Children are encouraged to bring out their creativity through art work and write-ups.
• Addressing health and hygiene issues of slum children: To complement the above initiatives there is a need to inculcate healthy and hygienic habits amongst this population. Hence, sanitizers, face mask and sanitary napkins are distributed amongst students. Besides this multivitamins are also being given to students by our clinic doctors.