1. ASHA INDIA AID Conference 2000

2. The Crisis of the Current Education System Failure to fulfill any reasonable role assigned to education Functional role of education • Provides employment and improves economic status • Makes a human being more “civilized” • A path to knowledge and truth The failure is systemic and needs fundamental changes AID Conference 2000

3. Need for an alternative system What are the basic characteristics to be altered? Vocational Training - ITIs Rational/Scientific thinking - Eklavya AID Conference 2000

4. Jeevan Vidya Philosophy Inculcate values for a just and humane society Provide means for gainful self-employment • Children: Informal Education Classes • Youth: Human Management Training • Teachers: Self-reliance through primary production AID Conference 2000

5. Asha Ballia • 2 schools, 130 children • 4 teachers • 2 teachers self -reliant • 2 to be in June 2000 • Self-reliance activities • Hand made greeting cards • Bee keeping • Candle/Agarbatti making • Asha Lucknow • 2 schools, 100 children • 4 teachers, 1 fellow • Self-reliance activities • Chyawanprash making • Hand printed cloth • Sale of Asha Ballia products AID Conference 2000

6. Kanpur Jagriti Bal Vikas Sansthan Informal schools for children of migrant laborers Manviya Prabandhan Sansthan (Institute of Human Management) 3 year degree course in Human management Training youths in vocational skills, management and commerce Mumbai Informal education in Phulenagar slum Tailoring classes for women Future plans: Women’s micro-credit groups AID Conference 2000

7. Asha Center An ashram like environment where Jeevan Vidya philosophy will be practised Will be run either completely by the local community or in close association with them • Act as resource center for • Research and develop curriculum and allied material for informal education • Research and develop methods for self-reliance • Impart training to people from other parts of the country AID Conference 2000

8. Issues and Concerns • Informal Education: Learning without regimentation • Heterogeneous classrooms • Child centered methods for teaching What kind of structure can be provided to the school and curriculum to make it manageable and effective without becoming regimented ? AID Conference 2000

9. Issues and Concerns • Self Reliance • Local economy unable to absorb all products How to ensure that these products have a market? • Movement in Alternative Education • Depends critically on swavlambi teachers AID Conference 2000