Background

The AeA Strategic Reassessment undertaken in 1997, called for a deeper understanding of the people's education needs, enabling the latter to find answers to those needs, promoting change within Government education systems and thereby improving the efficiency of its funding process. 

An initial research was conducted to understand the education system in India and the value add that AEA could make to it. Long individual consultations were held with educationists, education activists, NGO leaders, parents, children, representatives of the corporate sector and experts on Learning. This phase of research concluded with the hypothesis that if a value chain assessment is to be made, the effectiveness of the education system could be estimated at 10%. The reasons for this are mainly related to three areas: Inefficiency in the administration, irrelevance of the school curriculum and lack of conditions for learning. Liberate School proposes to explore and understand the third of the mentioned areas, viz. learning conditions. 

We decided to explore and understand the third of the mentioned areas, viz. learning conditions. A series of workshops were held with MP State Authorities, educationists, and education activists, NGOs, teachers and village assemblies, with the expertise of Shikshantar, Udaipur and Learning Development Institute, Florida. Parallel to this, we researched on a wide range of documentation available in the area of Learning. Last but not the least, a field research was undertaken by a Bhopal based NGO, DEBATE, in the Raghogarh block of the Guna district in Madhya Pradesh, on the learning needs of people. All this paved the way for a new thinking and understanding on education needs, seen from the angle of learning needs. The Partnership with DEBATE was subsequently concluded. Thereafter, a feasibility study was conducted from May-December 2001 in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra that aimed at cracking open the narrow vision of education, confined to schooling today. At the end of the feasibility study, the process of implementation of Liberate School was initiated in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh through the Jeevan Shiksha Pariyojana (Education for Life) of Shram Niketan Sansthan (SNS) based in Shahdol District. LS is being implemented in the state of Maharashtra, through the Kshanokshani Shikshan (Learning every moment) of Abhivyakti Media for Development (AMD), a Nashik based NGO. An orientation phase for implementation of LS in the state of Uttaranchal through partnership with Society for Integrated Development of Himalayas (SIDH), a Mussoorie based NGO, has been successfully completed in 2002. LS is being implemented in the state of Uttaranchal, through the of SIDH. 

Mission

We believe that an education system should allow for strengthening, structuring, constructing and sharing of knowledge and skills available or required in any environment. School is a learning space but has to be understood as part of a larger learning environment composed of family, community, livelihood, culture, traditions etc. which collectively contribute in determining the learning needs and processes of individuals. A new education paradigm would mean first and foremost to legitimate these spaces as genuine learning spaces instead of underestimating and devaluing them. Such an understanding of the environment and its relevance to the individual will legitimate processes such as intergenerational learning or collaborative community learning. 

From a culture of teaching and passive information acquisition we should actively promote a culture of life-long learning which nurtures flexible learning processes of questioning, analysing, feeling, reflecting, owning knowledge, negotiating, doing, self-motivation, patience, communication, collaboration, creativity, self-discipline, tackling stress, dealing with conflict and self-confidence to name some of them. A child should be given space as an individual in the society with specific learning needs related to his life and his environment.

Vision

Our vision is to make a shift from a culture of teaching and passive information acquisition in a classroom to a culture of learning which nurtures flexible learning processes of questioning, analysing, feeling, reflecting, constructing, sharing and owning knowledge. To do this we seek to strengthen and connect those social learning spaces such as school, family, community, work place and natural environment so that they support individuals and communities to deeply understand themselves, to anticipate the changes taking place in their environment, challenge injustices and to meaningfully connect with others.

Belief

Liberating School is the result of a thought process that began in AEA in 1997. Liberating School means acknowledging, validating and enhancing knowledge and learning beyond school walls and making school part of the authentic learning environment of the children and communities. In order to achieve this we wish to focus on learning and learning conditions in and out of school. 

We believe that an education system should allow for strengthening, structuring, constructing and sharing of knowledge and skills available or required in any environment. School is a learning space but has to be understood as part of a larger learning environment composed of family, community, livelihood, culture, traditions etc. which collectively contribute in determining the learning needs and processes of individuals. A new education paradigm would mean first and foremost to legitimate these spaces as genuine learning spaces instead of underestimating and devaluing them. Such an understanding of the environment and its relevance to the individual will legitimate processes such as intergenerational learning or collaborative community learning. From a culture of teaching and passive information acquisition we should actively promote a culture of life-long learning which nurtures flexible learning processes of questioning, analysing, feeling, reflecting, owning knowledge, negotiating, doing, self-motivation, patience, communication, collaboration, creativity, self-discipline, tackling stress, dealing with conflict and self-confidence to name some of them. A child should be given space as an individual in the society with specific learning needs related to his life and his environment. 

Area of Coverage

This action-research is being conducted in partnership with three local NGOs in three different geographical zones: 

• In the Nashik district of Maharashtra with Abhivyakti Media for Development 

• In the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh with Shram Niketan Sansthan 

• In the new state of Uttaranchal with the Society for Integrated Development of the Himalayas (SIDH) 

Goals and Objectives

Liberate School: The overall desired goal
To facilitate the promotion of Learning Communities wherein the latter: 

• Reduce their dependency points

• Recognize and leverage their strengths.

Liberate School: Strategic Obejectives
Enhancement of Child and Community Learning processes in all learning spaces identified by the interest groups (Children and Community). 

• Shift of focus from school to the larger learning environment identified by communities.

• Shift of focus from content to learning processes, skills and conditions

Activities

• A series of consultations with a wide range of people from various fields in the Indian society and specialists in education led to the definition and verification of these hypothesis. This verification process had started with a field investigation in the villages, whose objective was to identify:
• The perceptions and expectations of local focus groups on 'school education' ?
• The connections of school with other segments of the learning environment viz daily lives and needs. Identification of how much of the learning needs is met in the classroom.
• How much " learning " (in terms of owning knowledge) takes place in today's classroom?
• Corresponding to the learning needs identified among the communities and the children in particular, what are the learning spaces that already exist and need to be regenerated and those that could be explored. 
• This field experiment was undertaken in rural area of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and successfully completed in December 2001.
• The conclusions of this investigation enabled us to design a strategy for change on the field. 
• This is an "Action-Research" project i.e. the inputs for action have to neceSarva Sisha Abhiyanrily come from the field and the research group has to include members of the concerned communities. This means that the latter has to neceSarva Sisha Abhiyanrily feel the need for change and should be in a position to define the change they require. This also means that this research can continue only if the beneficiaries also desire to become 'active learners' rather than 'passive knowledge receivers'. Initially the researchers from outside the community are thought facilitators. Subsequently, the researchers are actors and all actors are researchers. The entire research group jointly frames the Terms of Reference for implementation of the new vision, evaluate their programme and make proposals for reorientation, if necessary.
• The project aims at involving the government schools and so intends to associate the local and State authorities in this experiment. This initiative aims at experimenting on conceptual solutions to some of the fundamental questions raised on the suitability of the education systems to the needs of people and to those of the society. Therefore, it has to take place within the given educational context and be used for spread by an osmosis effect.
• The project has a Project Steering Committee composed of Directors of Liberate School Partners and Project Head-Liberate School. This Committee will determine the strategies neceSarva Sisha Abhiyanry to promote self-perpetuation and self-sustainability of the concept.
• In order to ensure the visibility of the experiment on a national and international level, we will undertake to document right through the experiment via films and short publications, the socio-cultural impacts and the effects of the project on the life of the communities. 

Pilot Projects

"Aide et Action" has identified three partner organisations, Shram Niketan Sansthan in the Shahdol District of Madhya Pradesh, Abhivyakti Media for Development in the Nashik district of Maharashtra and Society for Integrated Development of Himalayas (SIDH) in Uttaranchal, in order to implement the project in their respective zones of intervention.

The current pilot project thus aims particularly at transforming the existing mindsets on the notions of "education" and "schooling" and at introducing problem/project issue based learning in all learning spaces identified by the communities with a deliberate effort to foster reflection, creativity, critical analysis, collaboration, initiative and entrepreneurial attitudes and skills, rather than the habitual focus on passive memorization of knowledge. The pilot project also wishes to recognize and revive indigenous knowledge and to enable children, in particular, to access any knowledge relevant to their lives, environment and communities, and in general to understand the macro-environment influencing their lives and choices. Liberate School also emphasizes the importance of "life-long learning skills" in today's environment.

Future Prospects

Liberate School continues in the form of an Action-Research which is based on the following: 

• Participatory conceptualisation, as a process will help reduce the dependency points of communities, which would mark the beginning of a learning community.

• The recognition, validation and reinforcement of indigenous knowledge systems and the informal learning network will act as a catalyst for true empowerment.

• An emphasis on the learning processes in all identified learning spaces rather than on content will enable communities to be life-long learners.

Liberate School will aim at recognizing and validating the whole learning network, will get families to reflect on the culture of schooling and integrating school into the authentic learning environment of children and families. It will encourage the authentic learning processes practiced in the various learning spaces: seeing, observing, doing, practicing, looking for information, and making mistakes. It will strengthen certain processes like reflection, critical analysis, creativity, intergenerational learning and sharing. It will use traditional as well as new learning spaces like those where children play or work, existing women's groups, existing farmers' groups, media etc. It wishes to regenerate indigenous knowledge systems.

Initiatives

Liberate School therefore continues in the form of an Participating Action-Research which is based on the following : 

• Participatory conceptualisation, as a process to help reduce the dependency points of communities, which would mark the beginning of a learning community. 

• The recognition, validation and reinforcement of indigenous knowledge systems and the informal learning network to act as a catalyst for true empowerment

• An emphasis on the learning processes in all identified learning spaces rather than on content to enable communities to be life-long learners.

This process started with a field investigation in the villages, whose objective was to identify:

• The perceptions and expectations of local focus groups on 'school education' ? 

• Corresponding to the learning needs identified among the communities and the children in particular, what are the learning spaces that already exist and need to be regenerated and those that could be explored. 
  The investigation in the villages was completed end of December 2001 in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and culminated in formulation of implementation strategy and concrete plan of action. 

This action-research is being conducted in partnership with three local NGOs in three different geographical zones: 

• In the Nashik district of Maharashtra with Abhivyakti Media for Development 

• In the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh with Shram Niketan Sansthan 

• In the new state of Uttaranchal with the Society for Integrated Development of the Himalayas (SIDH) 

This will enable us to benefit from the experiences and approaches of three partner organisations, the diversity of contexts and contents of learning. All these projects will aim at recognising and validating the whole learning network, will get families to reflect on the culture of schooling and integrating school into the authentic learning environment of children and families. They will encourage the authentic learning processes practised in the various learning spaces: seeing, observing, doing, practising, looking for information, making mistakes. They will strengthen certain processes like reflection, critical analysis, creativity, intergenerational learning, sharing. They will use traditional as well as new learning spaces like those where children play or work, existing women's groups, existing farmers' groups, media etc. They wish to regenerate indigenous knowledge systems. 

We are engaged in a process, and do not neceSarva Sisha Abhiyanrily know what awaits us at the other end. Our conviction lies in the fact that there is tremendous wealth within the communities and that its discovery will be a guide to solutions.

Implementation Strategy

The implementation of the Liberate School (LS) follows the strategy of partnerships with local organisations. Accordingly Ecoliers du Monde/Aide et Action has entered into partnerships with three Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The LS is being implemented in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh through the Jeevan Shiksha Pariyojana (Education for Life) of Shram Niketan Sansthan (SNS) based in Shahdol District. The project is being implemented in the state of Maharashtra, through the Kshanokshani Shikshan (Learning every moment) of Abhivyakti Media for Development (AMD), a Nashik based NGO. An orientation phase for implementation of LS in the state of Uttaranchal through partnership with Society for Integrated Development of Himalayas (SIDH), a Mussoorie based NGO, has been successfully completed in 2002. LS is being implemented in the state of Uttaranchal, through the of SIDH.