Right to Education, Sec 12

RTE Section 12 Ananya +91 9999656636 ananya@nid.edu ananya.mittal1990@gmail.com M. Des. Graphic Design National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

INFORM INSTRUCT INSPIRE INSIST INVOLVE 5 I’s of DevComm

Developmental Communication

Communication is an instrument of serving the needs of the people to attain development.

Developmental Communication uses communication to change and motivate people through education and inspiration.

Communication Strategies for Policy Uptake RTE Section 12 (1) (c)

There exists a gap between policy-making and policy uptake.

The RTE resource centre at IIM-A has been working in this area by understanding the specific problems when it comes to implementing policies.

So far they have worked on Section 12 of the RTE Act and have been successful in getting about 700 children from EWS admissions to private schools.

Right to Education, 2009 The Right to Education, 2009 is an act for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen. The act outlines the duties of the government, local authority, parents, schools and teachers.

RTE RTE Section 12 (1) (c) A school shall admit in Class 1, to the extent of at least twenty five percent, of the strength of that calss, children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged groups in the neighbourhood and provide free and compulsory education till its completion.

Sec 12

Government of Gujarat

Why?

Directorate of Education

Private Schools

RTE

RTE-RC

Improve diversity and social integration in clasrooms Move away from segregation by income Equality of opportunity - not restricted by birth Social Inclusion

Stakeholders NGO

Government - are supportive but have low manpower and low efficiency.

Schools - worried about the extent of Government interference in their finances, integration of children.

Eligible families

Volunteers

Eligible Families - Beneficiaries, are interested in education but their is low awareness and missing documents.

RTE-RC, NGOs, Volunteers - Facilitators

SCENARIO MAP

Challenges In a survey conducted in Delhi in 2014 by Indus Action, it was found that only 3% of the eligible families were aware about this provision.

There is Information Asymmetry There is very low awareness of the policy.

Unclear policy and Redtapism.

Resistance from schools

Need There is a need to design effective communication strategies to mobilise communities and create awareness of this provision.

Understanding Audience Vejalpur Naagoriwaad, Shahpur Chamunda Quarters, Asarwa Ayodhyanagar 1. Parents believe that education is a must for achieving anything in life, status in society, and to improve quality of life.

2. Parents prefer to send their kids to private schools as they believe they pay more attention to their kids, despite the financial burden.

3. There is low to no awareness of governement policies.

4. They pay no attention to T.V or newspaper ads about policies.

5. They pay attention and get involved if someone comes and tells them, then they feel reassured.

6. Muslims believe that Government schemes will not benefit them. Christians have the same perception.

7. People don’t avail of any policies as they think that the government will cheat them or it just makes false promises. They think the process would take too much time or hassle.

Insights 1. Interpersonal communication is far more effective than mas media. People are more inclined to pay attention and they feel reassured when they see a person explaining the information rather than an advertisement.

2. Information must create awareness and lead to action.

delivered through appropriate channels

correct information

3. Identifying key messages is critical for dissemination of right based provisions and provide clarity of information to citizens 4.. Material must be high quality, cost effective, target specific based on key messages thereby ensuring better uptake of provisions.

5. Information must be delivered through appropriate channels of communication and engage all stakeholders.

6. Provide an emotional basis for social integration.

7. Leave sustained impact on ingrained mindset. The communication activities should aim for attitude and behaviour change along with awareness.

clearly comprehended and understood resulting in action

Existing Material Indus Action designed poster, pamphlets. stickers etc for their awareness camapign in Delhi in 2014 called Project Eklavaya.

Howewer the current communication material needs to be redesigned keeping in mind several critical factors.

Critical Factors 1. Message must be clear, simple, crisp and frill free - audience has low tolerance for complexity 2. Should be more visual so that it is easy to comprehend as literacy levels vary. It should expain the entire process very clearly. They should be catchy enough so that its not missed, must stand out.

3. Message must be uniform and must not leave room for misinterpretation. Everything that needs to be communicated should be mentioned clearly so that the volunteers dont make up any details that can cause confusion.

4. Should be tangible, something they can take back with them and discuss later. All critical details about the timeline, process etc. should be given.

5. Should be cost effective so that they can be produced at a large scale 6. Should use local, easy to understand language.

7. Visual language must be neutral- must not alienate any communities.

8. Messages should invoke trust, be credible, authentic, must not make any false promises. They should have a hopeful, optimistic, positive tone

Revised Brief To design material for interpersonal communication to be used by the volunteers when going to the field to create awareness of policy provision.

Benefits of Interpersonal Medium - can overcome barriers of illiteracy and incomprehension through visuals - standardise technical information - illustrate new ideas and techniques more effectively than word of mouth alone - it is two way, so there is a feedback mode. The volunteers can resolve any queries, issues in the field itself

Design Solutions Posters

Training Material

Brochures

Visual Aids

Folder Displays

Handbook

Can be put up in Aanganwaadis, Ration Shops, Schools, Government offices. Use characters and persuasive messages with basic critical information about RTE Section 12 (1) (c).

To be handed out to core target audience with information about application process, eligibility, documents needed etc.

At all relevant touchpoints, like Ration Shops and Aanganwaadis.

Material that the RTE - RC can use during volunteer orientations and training to build their perspective and give them a feel of what it will be like to go to the field.

That volunteers can use and take into the field to tell familes about the policy provisions.

Will contain all information, abot Section 12, do’s and donts and faq’s.

Role of Volunteers RTE - RC can create a robust volunteer program that would help facilitate implementation of Section 12 in Ahmedabad.

Their roles would be to Partcipate in the awareness campaign Follow up on parents fiiling the application Child Tracking Buddy Project

Project Saarthi - Volunteers at Vejalpur Aanganvaadi

Role of Anganwaadi The Anganwaadi workers can also help witj the awareness drives. They cancondusct sessions and use the visual aids tell parents about RTE. They believe that parents will respond positively to such initiatives.

They already use the Kishori Yojana kit to conduct monthly session for girls between 11-18 years of age to tell them about heathcare, nutrition and livelihood options.

Official records of the children at the Aanganvaadi

The Anganwaadi can be a very crucial touchpoint in the entire Communication Campaign.

Kishori Yojana kit

Information regarding healthcare through flashcards and apron

PRE-ADMISSION

Volunteer Recruitment can happen at this stage. They can go through training in order to be prepared to go to the field.

DURING ADMISSION

The Anganwaadi workers and volunteers acn run awareness sessions in the field using the visula guides, handouts and posters.

They can also take a sample form to explain about how it is to be filled along with all teh necessary documents taht must be attached and the overall admission process.

POST-ADMISSION

The impact of the volunteer program can be assessed in order to improve it.

POSTERS Large A1 size balck and white posters can be taken to the field and filled out with relevant cantact details of people within the community.

These can explain the admission process and timelines in a visual manner and can serve as a reminder.

They can be put up at Anganwaadis.

VISUAL AIDS & HANDOUTS Visual aids that explain the basic context and information about Section 12 can be taken to the field by volunteers.

These will have visulas on the side that faces the audience and text on te side facing teh volunteer so that tehy know waht information to expalin corresponding to each visual.

At the end of the session, handouts can be circulated that summarise all the information with critical details about timeline, admission process, documents needed etc.