Abstract for PCF7: Theme Girls and Women Education

Abstract

From all information sources it has been proven that gender inequality in education is extreme. Girls are less likely to access school, to remain in school or enjoy positive achievements in education. Yet it has been proven conclusively that innovative and well-designed educational models targeted towards young women and girls enable them to claim their legitimate rights and realize their fullest potential. // In this backdrop, Datamation Foundation established a Community Multi-Media Centre(CMC) with UNESCOs participation focusing on the education of school dropout young girls and women; in the Babul-ulm-Madarasa in impoverished Seelampur a predominant Muslim neighborhood in North-East Delhi in March 2003. The primary school drop rate out amongst young girls and adult women is 65%. Women get married early and are not permitted to step out unaccompanied. The Project ensured systematic combination of mentoring and deployment of multi-media based self-paced learning materials in the local languages. Sixty five self-paced, interactive multi-media and web-based functional literacy, empowerment and skills development modules applying distance learning pedagogical methods were developed. In-built learning-achievement evaluation procedures were integrated. The learning modules ranged from health, nutrition and life-skill apart from confidence-building and personality development. // The women search English newspaper sites since they get usually Hindi papers at home. There is a keen desire amongst the women to complete their basic secondary education; by open distance learning. Consequently the women access various Distance Learning sites such as the National Institute of Open Learning (NIOS) www.nios.org, and learning sites such as the Indira Gandhi National Open University, Manipal-Sikkim Open University and others. // In the wake of epidemics such as Viral, Dengue fever and other Diseases there is an interest to retrieve various health sites. The combination of video and community’s recording done by the women learners has enabled the community to learn the process of holding camera efficiently apart from observing the process of editing and mixing of the audio-cum-video. Hence the women feel motivated to participate in the production of their own multimedia modules. // The response of the community to the off-the shelf Digital content has been very positive. // It was observed that the women were keen to acquire vocational skills while learning computers. Many women eagerly desire to have an independent source of income. The learning of local art and handicraft is being encouraged in the process of teaching-learning exercise. Traditional designs and patterns of embroidery are computerized through scanning or digital photography. // Till date more than 18,500 young women and adult women have been covered targeted. The initiative has shown that ICTs and ODL can be utilized to preserve, and share cultural heritage apart from enhancing education. // Paper ID: 481