Case Study of the Day: Pota Cabins – Residential Schools for Children in LWE Areas

Context: Pota Cabins is an innovative educational initiative for building schools with impermanent materials, in Left Wing Extremism affected villages in Chhattisgarh state.

About Pota Cabins

• The Rationale for the initiative were derived from following prior situation in the region:
  • Development deficit existed due to village remoteness, inadequate infrastructure and weak penetration of Information Technology.
  • Education development was impacted due to Violence.
• It was at such a time, Pota Cabins scheme was introduced by the administration, where schools were built out of prefabricated materials such as bamboo and ply, so that schools cannot be used as hideouts or armed camps.
  • Students are allotted lodging spaces in dormitories on the campus.
  • Modern teaching and entertainment facilities, such as television with satellite channel connections and education package CDs and smart classes equipped with digital learning aids for videos and presentations were provided.
• The Objectives of the Initiative:
  • Enrolment and continuous retention of out-of-school children by bringing them to the mainstream society through formal education.
  • Inculcating scientific temper in children to prepare for employment opportunities
  • To provide provision for basic amenities of healthcare, food and proper accommodation along with an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • To promote vocational skills and build capacities for self-employment among students.
• Impact of the initiative:
  • It has helped reduce the number of out-of-school children, resulting in improved enrolment and retention of children.
  • The number of out-of-school children in the 6-14 years age group has reduced.

Conclusion

•  Pota Cabins have brought about a generational change by addressing the lack of education in schools that have been destroyed by violence.
• Pota Cabins could be merged with the primary school system, so that they can be brought under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Sharing is caring!