VO SPECIAL EDUCATION PROJECT

Memorandum of Understanding  

Introduction   

The following document is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a special partnership project between the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (hereinafter referred to as MCGM) and the VO Foundation (hereinafter referred to as VO) in the field of education.  

This special project is an effort by VO to extend its activities in the field of education to improving the quality of learning in Municipal Schools. Our aspiration is to enhance opportunities for children by working with the MCGM through the formal school system, providing inputs in the fields of teaching, extra-curricular activities, community support and infrastructure.  

The purpose of this MoU is to lay down the basic terms, conditions and guidelines for this partnership as well as the broad governance structure that will be used to monitor and assess the project.  

Note that the initiatives listed here represent the comprehensive sum of all initiatives that VO may undertake – VO reserves the right to select which initiatives are most appropriate for a particular school. For each school that the project covers, VO will put together a specific plan and budget (within the guidelines given here) and pass it on to the relevant authorities for their information.  

Initiatives to be taken up as part of the VO Special Education Project (VOSEP)  

The VOSEP will consist of initiatives in four key areas:  

1)      Infrastructural support

a)      VO will provide limited infrastructural support to schools under the VOSEP:

i)        VO will assign a corpus of not more than Rs. X Lakhs per school for the improvement and upkeep of infrastructure in the school in the first year of the project for that school (excludes expenditure on installation of computer centre and library).

ii)       VO will further assign a corpus of not more than Rs. Y Lakhs per school per year in all future years towards maintenance of school infrastructure

iii)     The detailed budget and investment plan for each school will be drawn up by VO in consultation with the school HM(s) and permission from the AO (Schools). VO will retain full discretion on what investments it chooses to make in the school.

iv)     Areas typically covered under this support may include

a.       Painting and repair of school premises

b.       Installation of soft-boards

c.       Renovation of bathrooms

d.       Provision of basic furniture

e.       Renovation of drinking water facilities

f.        Renovation of flooring

g.       Provision of school uniforms

h.       Electrical work

v)      VO may tie up with other organisations / individuals to provide this support .

vi)     All activities related to this expenditure will be coordinated / implemented by VO with relevant permissions for MCGM authorities.  

2)      Extra-curricular support

a)      VO will start extra-curricular classes to supplement existing activities in the school in consultation with the school HM(s):

i)        Classes will be started wherever extra-curricular activities do not already exist.

ii)       Classes will be made available to all students in the school.

iii)     The initial list of activities includes music, sports/PT, art, dance drama and elocution. VO will have the discretionary right to decide which activities to put in for each individual school.

iv)     MCGM will provide space for these activities free of charge.

v)      All staff related to these activities (including both extra-curricular teachers and assistants) will be recruited by VO and will be on VO rolls; VO will provide these teachers with training where required.

vi)     VO will have the right to design curriculum for the extra-curricular activities.

vii)   VO will conduct independent assessments of the progress made by these children in these extra-curricular classes.

viii)  VO will be free to tie up with other organisations / individuals to provide these activities.

b)      VO may set up and run a book and toy library in the school through permission from the AO (schools)

i)        VO will be responsible for the selection of books and toys for the library.

ii)       The library / reading room will be available to all students of the school.

iii)     The library / reading room will be accessible to students only during school hours at certain pre-specified times.

iv)     VO will be responsible for the recruitment of staff for the library who will be on VO rolls. This will include a library teacher and library assistants as required.

v)      The books / toys in the library will be the property of VO but will be used only for children in the school to which they are assigned.

vi)     The MCGM will provide space to house the library within the school premises free of charge.

vii)   The VO foundation will be free to seek out and use tie-ups with other organisations to set up the library.

viii)  VO will put a computer in each library to maintain records. This computer will be the property of VO, but electricity charges for it will be borne by MCGM. The computer will be used only for purposes related to the library and will not be used for any commercial purposes.

c)      VO may set up and conduct computer classes in the school through permission from the AO (schools):

i)        Computer classes will be made available to all students in standards IV – VII.

ii)       Computers in the computer class will be the property of VO; VO will bear all expenses related to installation and maintenance of these computers.

iii)     Ownership of the computers will be transferred to the MCGM after they have been installed in the school for a period of three years. At this point MCGM will also assume all responsibility for maintenance of the computers. MCGM will assure that the computers will remain in the school premises where they were initially installed and may not be transferred to another location.

iv)     MCGM will provide the space for the computer centre and will bear all electricity charges.

v)      The computer centre will be used only for children of the specific school – it shall be put to no commercial purposes.

vi)     VO will be responsible for developing and implementing curriculum in the centre.

vii)   All teaching staff related to the centre will be recruited by VO and will be on VO rolls. VO shall take full responsibility for training of this staff .

viii)  Computer classes will be conducted within school hours.

ix)     VO will conduct independent assessments of the progress made by these children in these extra-curricular classes.

x)      VO will be free to tie up with other organisations / individuals to provide these activities.

d)      VO will organise educational outings for the children of the school:

i)        Outings will be organised for all students in standards IV – VII.

ii)       Outings will be conducted on school days and will be restricted to standard school timings.

iii)     VO will decide on the venue for the visits in consultation and permission of the school HM.

iv)     VO will make all arrangements for travel to and from venue of visit and will bear expenses for the same.

3)      Educational inputs

a)      VO to conduct English and Math study classes for children in classes I – IV across all mediums in order to improve the children’s spoken and written English

i)        Classes to be held for one hour a day during school hours (time tables for this to be worked out in discussion with school HM / staff).

ii)       Classes to be attended by all children in a particular standard.

iii)     VO to staff classes with teachers on its rolls; VO to be responsible for recruitment, training and evaluation of these teachers. Recruitment to be subject to VO guidelines.

iv)     VO to conduct independent student assessments to measure progress in these classes – results to be shared with MCGM but not to be part of official school records.

v)      Study classes will adhere to curriculum laid down by the State government / MCGM.

vi)     Classes will be conducted in the school premises itself – additional class rooms / other spaces required for these classes will be provided by MCGM free of charge.

b)      VO to conduct English and Maths remedial classes for weaker students of standards I to IV in all medium schools. These classes will give them additional input and help them to catch up with the rest of the class:

i)        Classes to be held during school time; other children in that standard will remain with MCGM teachers during this time.

ii)       VO to select weaker kids from each standard based on assessments conducted by VO / input from MCGM teachers.

iii)     VO to staff classes with teachers on its rolls; VO to be responsible for recruitment, training and evaluation of these teachers. Recruitment to be subject to VO guidelines.

iv)     VO to conduct independent student assessments to measure progress in these classes – results to be shared with MCGM but not to be part of official school records.

v)      Study classes will adhere to curriculum laid down by the State government / MCGM.

vi)     Classes will be conducted in the school premises itself – additional class rooms / other spaces required for these classes will be provided by MCGM free of charge.

c)      In order to ensure continuity of educational support, VO will set up an after-school centre for high potential children in Std IV and above

i)        Centre will be run after school hours and will be independent of the formal school working.

ii)       This will be a free-of-cost educational program for the children.

iii)     Centre will use non-formal teaching methods – the curriculum for the centre will be designed by VO. The centre will be run along the same lines as other VO centres in the city.

iv)     High potential children will be selected for the centre on the basis of assessment conducted by VO.

v)      Attendance at the centre will be optional for selected students

vi)     Each centre may consolidate children from multiple municipal schools.

vii)   Space for these centres will be provided in the school premises by the MCGM free of charge through permission from the AO(Schools)

viii)     Students once enrolled in the centre will have the option of continuing with the centre even if they drop out of Municipal school / formal school

ix)        VO will continue to have the right to run the centre in the school premises even if the ASEP is no longer operational in the school

d)      VO to conduct training for MCGM teachers focussing on VO teaching methods including class control, use of stories, songs and pictures, better use of teaching aids, etc. :

i)        Training to be conducted by VO staff including special VO trainers for MCGM staff

ii)       Training to include monthly workshops backed by in-class demonstration / supervision sessions where the VO trainer will work with the MCGM teachers in class giving them input and helping them with new techniques

iii)     Attendance at VO training sessions will be compulsory for all staff in the relevant school / medium

iv)     Attendance at VO training session will be considered while calculating the number of training hours the teacher has officially attended in the year. The VO training sessions will thus be considered in lieu of standard MCGM teacher training

v)      Training will focus on teaching of formal school curriculum, primarily teaching of English and Maths, though other subjects may also be covered.

e)      VO to provide teaching-aids to the school to support training initiatives:

i)        The teaching aids will remain VO property but will be available to all staff members (including MCGM staff) for use.

ii)       Teaching aids will be linked to the prescribed curriculum, but will be designed and selected by VO.

iii)     Teaching aids will be for use in class in the school to which they are assigned only.  

4)      Community involvement and support

a)      VO will hire social workers to work with the children’s parents and communities and ensure their involvement in the child’s education:

i)        Social workers will be recruited by VO and will be on VO rolls.

ii)       Social workers will work in collaboration with CDOs and will submit a quarterly report to the concerned CDO on their activities.

iii)     Social workers will address issues of school drop-outs, health and nutrition, behaviour issues, etc. with the child’s parents.

iv)     There will be one social worker hired for every 500-600 children.

v)      VO may undertake projects in the community to address issues related to school children.

vi)     VO will have the right to involve other organisations / individuals in it’s work in this area.

b)      VO shall work with the MCGM staff to establish a strong Parent Teacher Association in the school:

i)        VO will organise bi-monthly PTA meetings in conjunction with the CDO; VO social workers will attempt to ensure parent attendance at these meetings.   

General guidelines

a)      VO will implement this project in the selected schools for a period of five years. At the end of the five years, VO and the MCGM will jointly review the progress made in the school and decide whether the project in that school is to be continued / terminated.

b)      The selection of schools to be included in the project will be done by VO in consultation with the SSC Project coordinator and the CDOs of the relevant wards

c)      For each school, VO will write and submit a detailed one year plan outlining the activities to be conducted in each school. This plan will be for information of MCGM and can be used by MCGM to track progress of the project in each school.

d)      All municipal schools will be eligible for the ASEP including those schools that are currently covered under the adoption program of the MCGM

e)      VO staff will have permission to be present in the school throughout the academic year

f)       In the pursuance of these activities, VO will have the right to bring volunteers / VO staff into the school premises to assist the full time staff there. In all such cases the HM will be given prior intimation.

g)      VO will have the right to undertake evaluation and training for all its employees in the way it sees fit. This may include visits of other VO staff to the school premises.

h)      To enable MCGM to monitor the work being done at each school, VO will submit the following reports:

i)        A three-monthly activity report for each school to be submitted to the CDO summarising progress made against the initiatives laid down for that particular school in that year. This will be discussed in a meeting between the CDO, VO representative and school HM(s).

ii)       A six-monthly activity report to the project coordinator of MCGM / EO summarising the progress made by the VO Special Education Project across all schools. This will be discussed in a meeting between the SSC Project coordinator / EO, relevant CDOs and VO representatives.

iii)     An annual expenditure report summarising both capital and current expenditures incurred by VO in each school. This will be consistent with the VO annual audited results for that year.

i)        VO to have access to school records to establish baseline and progress made in the school. These records will be used only for VO internal purposes; individual records will be maintained in strictest confidence by VO.

j)        The co-ordinator for the VOSEP from the MCGM side will be the SSC Projects Coordinator of the Education Department.

k)      VO will appoint an overall project coordinator for the Special Education Project. In addition, we may appoint assistant coordinators and other staff to help coordinate the working of the project across schools.