2016 THRASS Training and first visit after earthquake

After sitting out the monsoon and unable to go to the village, I am now back in Nepal again and about to visit Mirge. Before leaving for Mirge I met with Yogendra and Bipin

at ECCA to discuss planned activities for January - February and possible directions for the remainder of 2016.

Initially, Yogendra outlined the big picture not only for Mirge but three other VDCs – Namdu, Gairamudi, Thule including the remaining five schools in Mirge (we have been facilitating School Improvement Programs (SIP) in just four of the nine Mirge Schools since 2010). This is the year of implementing the School Sector Reform Plan of 2009 (SSRP). Unfortunately, due to numerous barriers, the full implementation of this ambitious and somewhat vague school improvement plan has been prioritized by the Ministry Of Education to occur this year. Learning from some of the errors of previous attempts to focus on teachers leading the changes, this attempt will focus on ALL stakeholders in each school who will be empowered to manage the changes and reforms.

However, most of the stakeholders are unaware of their roles or responsibilities to make the required changes and this is where ECCA comes in. In late January, a team of counselors will conduct a needs audit in all target communities. After evaluation of the data, they will return in February to conduct a series of trainings for all stakeholders in regard to the SSRP. At the same time, ECCA will continue the earlier work in Earthquake Relief Program and distribute warm tracksuits to the schools in Mirge. As you would guess most of the communities’ clothing was buried beneath the rubble of the damaged houses. Luckily though, a number of local and groups (and 10000/- per family from the government) has responded with donating warm clothing. Winter in Nepal, especially in the hill regions and above, is extremely cold at night with only a brief warm and sunny period throughout the middle of the day.

If all goes to plan, the communities will engage with ECCA to assist with the implementation of some of the SSRP recommendations, then the exisiting Mirge School Environment Program, which was due to conclude at the end of 2016, will be absorbed into a much larger program including the remaining five Mirge schools and those of the other three target communities. So hopefully at this time next year, I will be reporting on our achievements and preparing for the merger and dissolution of the existing entity, a bit like a phoenix.

From my perspective, during this visit, I will conclude the THRASS basic training with seven schools. The focus will be on effective reading and making sound use of THRASS to teach reading, pronunciation and spelling. In addition, Critical Thinking Skills through reading comprehension will be introduced to the teachers. The aim of this is to promote a deeper level of understanding as well as encouraging teachers to plan their lessons around Critical Thinking which should have a flow on impact in the academic level of students in all subjects. Then finally, time will be spent improving the skills of Phulkaji so he can continue facilitating peer learning in the English Teachers’ Group.

So there we are; the plan for this visit. Check the blog again in couple of weeks when I shall update it as soon as possible after my training program has been completed and I have returned to Kathmandu.