Concurrent Monitoring And Evaluation Of ANWESHA Program for Tribal Children In Urban Hostel Pursuing Studies In Urban English Medium Schools

Abstract

Urban Education Programme 'ANWESHA' is a pioneering initiative of the State Government for providing quality education to ST and SC students in best of educational institutions to nurture their inherent talent and expose them to spirit of competitiveness and excellence so that they prove themselves in their future life. The innovative scheme was launched in the year 2015-16. By the end of 2018-19, a total of 17975 students have been enrolled in 169 schools located in 17 operational districts (Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Baragarh, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, and Angul). Anwesha Concurrent Monitoring and Evaluation (ACME) Cell was formed in the year 2018-19 to have a concurrent and independent monitoring system not only to oversee its functioning, collect relevant data, find grey areas and suggest remedial measures but also to ensure proper implementation of the scheme. ACMEcell compiled and prepared the data base of Anwesha students, schools and hostels and in its first status report has pointed out the grey areas like lack of pre primary education of Anwesha students as that of their urban counterparts, late admission to school in July-August where as their urban counterparts join in March-April, reluctance of reputed public schools to admit Anwesha students for which, district administration is forced to select second grade schools without affiliation or track record thereby diluting the purpose of the scheme. To overcome the challenges and ensure that the desired objectives of the ANWESHA scheme is achieved, it is recommended to create facility for providing pre-primary education in Ashram schools, bright students of pre-primary classes of Ashram schools to be nominated for Anwesha and rest should be admitted in the class-I of the same school. Further, District authorities should be clearly instructed to select English medium schools affiliated to CBSE with proven academic track record and admission of Anwesha students should be completed in March. To overcome the challenges faced due to reluctance of reputed Public Schools to admit Anwesha students, it is suggested that government can create a mega infrastructure of its own or in partnership with any NGO at Bhubaneswar to provide quality education and accommodation of exceptional standard to selected Anwesha students