Q.
A
student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study
the role of decentralisation in decision-making about primary
education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions
are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would
you give to each of these questions?
A
meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps
should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the
school.
a.
How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think who
would be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of your
choice.
(i)
A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii)
Day of the village haat
(iii)
Sunday
(iv)
Naag panchami / sankranti
b.
What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i)
Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii)
Religious place in the village.
(iii)
Dalit Mohalla
(iv)
Upper caste Tola
(v)
Village school
c.
In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district
collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to
organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting
did not discuss about the children who never come to school or about
girls’ education, or the condition of the school building and
the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it
was held on Sunday.
What
do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s
participation?
d.
Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the
meeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
