Funding Areas, and Speical Interests

New in 2008:

Although The Foundation considers outstanding proposals from qualifying schools in any area of education improvement, please note that each year places a special emphasis on a particular area.

Special Emphasis Funding for 2008-2009

Around Rs.3,00,000 (300,000) has been set aside in this period for the development of a program of musical education. It is expected that up to 3 awards may be made. The funds are to be used for purchase of musical instruments only. The funds can not be used for salary support. Salary support is to come from the proposing school. Proposals must describe details of the program. It may be necessary to employ more than one music teacher to teach the broad range of instruments. Proposals will be judged on basis of the following criteria, in order of importance: (i) Quality, qualification, accomplishment of music teacher(s). Degrees are not important. Professional awards or recognition is highly valued. (ii) Broad range of instruments to be taught - i.e. at least 10 different types of instruments should be taught, one of which may be voice; (iii) Number of hours of training daily. To receive funding, music teacher(s) must teach all day, each day. (iv) Number of students to be enrolled in music education. It is expected that music education shall begin at the earliest age in each school; and (v) percentage of matching funds raised by the school - i.e. schools raising the higher percentage shall be preferred. Please address all these issues in your proposal.

General Areas of Funding:

TOPICS AND EXPECTATIONS Please note: Do not attempt to include every topic in your proposal. Select one or two items that are most needed in your school. Also, note that when proposing to purchase equipment, describe how you will protect against theft or damage. Insurance is highly recommended.

1. Drinking water: Safe drinking water for the school. Ultraviolet or Reverse Osmosis. VHF Expectations: VHF may provide funds for a system to produce sufficient pure drinking water for all. To be effective, the filtered water must NOT be stored in any type of vessel. The school must keep a record of number of students who fall sick before this pure water system is installed, and also after. The Proposal should describe how the school will meet daily operating costs.

2. Building Appearance: Walls, windows and doors; clean, apply long-lasting paint. VHF Expectations: The work shall be done with as much volunteer labor as possible. The proposal shall describe a maintenance plan.

3.  Environment: Beautify school grounds, install watering system, plant gardens and possibly grass to suppress dust and dirt. Lay down brick/stone walkways to avoid walking through mud in monsoon. VHF Expectations: The work shall be done with as much volunteer labor as possible. The garden design should be done professionally. A combination of shade trees and flowering plants may be employed. Water pump may be installed. Automated water delivery system and micro-irrigation ideas are highly recommended. Students from each class should ‘own’ a portion of the garden and look after maintenance. Teachers should participate with volunteer labor to encourage students. The plan should describe how care will be taken during school holidays.

4.  Educational Wall Posters: Make the walls of classrooms beautiful and informative using colorful and educational posters as well as work done by the students . Post photos of children and teachers in classrooms to instill pride. Children’s art may be included. VHF Expectations: Posters are available within India (see e.g. Chemporium, Alsi Plots, Akola). They should cover topics in physics, chemistry, history, biology, art etc. Student-Teacher Photos should be done digitally and printed. All students should get equal treatment in posting their own work and creations.

5.  Media: TV, VCD and DVD players. These are for entertainment while providing education. VHF Expectations: One teacher, The Video Facility Manager will collect and record TV programs. The school will allow extra hour for viewing or, as part of formal teaching. A teacher will introduce each program, and then discuss what the students learnt. The idea is to develop critical thinking through discussion.

6.  Language Learning Audio Equipment: Tape and CD recorder-players, language tapes, CD’s. VHF Expectations: Students should be taught English interactively. The use of videos, CDs and question and discussion is necessary. This encourages speaking, which is the only way to learn a language. Listening and speaking also encourages proper pronunciation. In India employment opportunity improves dramatically for those who speak English well. VHF expects all students to be trained to become proficient in English. VHF expects teachers to use language learning audio equipment in their class daily.

7.  Library: Books, computer, Internet. Daily newspaper, magazines. VHF Expectations: One person will act as Librarian, keeping a Catalog of books, VDC, DVD, magazines etc. Students shall be encouraged to read a certain minimum number of books each year. Students will write short reports on the books, again, learning critical thinking. (Report format can be provided by the teacher). The school must include this as part of the curriculum. Further, students should be allowed to use the computer for finding information. Daily paper should be posted for students to see and to read. Each day, school starts with a gathering – we encourage a teacher to discuss the day’s news at this time. Teachers may take turns. The idea is to inform the students about their community, city, state, country, and the world. At most this would take 5 Minutes a day to carry out.

8. Sports Equipment: Soccer, hockey…, but not clothes or shoes. VHF Expectations: All students must participate in daily vigorous activity to develop love of sports and to maintain health. Girl students should have an equal opportunity for vigorous exercise, no different from boys (think P.T. Usha, Sania Mirza). The school will provide time for daily exercise activity.

9. Computers: PC’s, printers, scanner, Internet, broadband. VHF Expectations: VHF will provide 2 or more PCs if none are available, for new schools working with VHF. After 50% of teachers receive certification in computer education, more PC’s may be provided. VHF expects that all students shall have ‘finger’ time with computers, and shall pass a minimum competency test on how to type. Students will be taught to use the Internet for finding information, writing reports, viewing news, etc. All students leaving school after SSC must be trained in use of computers. The computer room should be left open and available to students all day. Different classes can use the room at different hours. To sustain the facility, students should be asked to make a small monthly donation (Rs. 5 to 10). For the extremely poor students, a waiver may be granted. The Computer room should have at least one laser printer and plenty of paper. Computers should be protected from power failures with UPS. It is highly desired that the computer room remain open for long hours for student or teacher use. Students should be encouraged to use e-mails (between themselves, worldwide e-pals). Broadband connection should be available; funds for this Internet connection may be provided by VHF, but the schools should explain how they plan to become independent after the first year. Students should learn how to find information on the internet. Indeed, they should be encouraged to use the internet for learning about regular course work as well. Students and Teachers should pass government certified examinations. VHF will measure success of schools by percent of teachers and students passing such examinations. We regard MS-CIT as suitable for teachers.

10. Projector: An LCD Projector may be provided to well-run schools after they show remarkable progress through at least 50% students and teachers passing competence examinations. For teachers, the MS-CIT course is, again, recommended. VHF Expectations: The Projector shall be used for school-wide gatherings, edutainment shows, celebrations. One teacher must be held responsible for operation and maintenance. Please include a description of how you plan to collect funds for maintenance.

11. Special Project: VHF will consider special project needs, such as fixing leaks in a roof, a Physics-Chemistry-Biology laboratory, a travel grant to teachers to study modern methods at a model school locally or outside, etc… VHF Expectations: Please describe what you have in mind and make it a convincing argument. Please indicate how we may measure the impact of our funding.

12. Special Emphasis Courses: VHF values extra-curricular social-awareness education. Student education in Gender and Equality Training is at the top of our priorities. The Tathapi Trust in Pune will provide a full training course that teaches equal treatment of boys and girls, men and women. Special funds have been set aside for those schools that adopt this program. VHF Expectations: VHF expects schools to undertake education in social development and reforms. Gender and Equality training is a high priority. All schools seeking VHF funds are expected to participate.

13. Project Based Learning: Schools may propose specific educational projects, such as recording daily temperature and rainfall, making detailed maps of school-community-city, a project to design a garden, planting an experimental forest, developing an inflation index by tracking prices of items that families use, design of a roof water storage tank for use in gardens, etc. The best projects would be connected to the ongoing lessons in classes. Funding may be requested for actual project as well.

VHF Expectations: VHF shall review the educational value of the project in deciding to provide funds. Details of the project should be provided by the proposing teacher.