<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
pre
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Preformatted Char";
margin:0in;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";}
span.HTMLPreformattedChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Preformatted Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Preformatted";
font-family:Consolas;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Yes Jean… meant 2023.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yes, ideally I think the ‘bonus year’ is the best way forward. It will be a bold decision if taken, but don’t think the Centre nor any State is bold enough to take such decisions. Whether this or something else, the bottom line really is something HAS to be done and we have to keep forcing the concerned departments to act.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Jean Dreze <jaandaraz@riseup.net> <br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, August 21, 2021 8:42 AM<br><b>To:</b> Rishikesh . <rishikesh@apu.edu.in>; Guru <Guru@ITforChange.net><br><b>Cc:</b> niranjan aradhya <aradhyaniranjan@hotmail.com>; Sajitha Bashir <sajitha.bashir@gmail.com>; mehendalearchana@gmail.com; research@educationemergency.net<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Research] posters<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p>Thanks Rishi. I guess you meant March 2023. I see the merit of the approach you are proposing, but I fear that in states like Jharkhand it will boil down to business as usual and leave huge numbers of children way behind. If all children are in the same boat I don't think it's "detention" (I used the word "bonus year" because I thought it sounded more positive). But anyway, the main thing is for this to be discussed because it doesn't even seem to be on the radar except among a few specialists. Whatever is the proposed approach, perhaps it should be part of your campaign material so that the issue is on the agenda at least. Hope this makes sense,<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jean<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On 21-08-2021 08:17, Rishikesh . wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Thanks for following our conversation in spite of your busy schedule Jean & very good to hear from you … yes terrible news in terms of the learning status. Quite similar across all States we are working in. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>I think the auto promotion should be discussed, but I’m wary of ‘detention’ as the onus to learn gets pushed on to the children. Though many States amended RTE to suit their teacher lobbies & brought in detention at grade 5. But, we have to come with a solution as a complete no detention or auto promotion is also problematic in the current state. One approach we came up in the Karnataka Task Force is to keep it very flexible till March 2022 and use the 500 or so days till then to bring children to age appropriate levels. The curriculum & pedagogy will have to worked out in detail for that.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>You can just use the ‘research@…’ that you have used - all of us CCed are in it (except Niranjan).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Will keep you posted in further discussions.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>rishi <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div><div id=ms-outlook-mobile-signature><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Get <a href="https://aka.ms/o0ukef">Outlook for iOS</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="98%" align=center></div><div id=divRplyFwdMsg><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='color:black'> Jean Dreze <a href="mailto:jaandaraz@riseup.net"><jaandaraz@riseup.net></a><br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, August 21, 2021 6:50:08 AM<br><b>To:</b> Guru <a href="mailto:Guru@ITforChange.net"><Guru@ITforChange.net></a><br><b>Cc:</b> niranjan aradhya <a href="mailto:aradhyaniranjan@hotmail.com"><aradhyaniranjan@hotmail.com></a>; Sajitha Bashir <a href="mailto:sajitha.bashir@gmail.com"><sajitha.bashir@gmail.com></a>; <a href="mailto:mehendalearchana@gmail.com">mehendalearchana@gmail.com</a> <a href="mailto:mehendalearchana@gmail.com"><mehendalearchana@gmail.com></a>; <a href="mailto:research@educationemergency.net">research@educationemergency.net</a> <a href="mailto:research@educationemergency.net"><research@educationemergency.net></a>; Rishikesh <a href="mailto:rishikesh@apu.edu.in"><rishikesh@apu.edu.in></a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Research] posters</span> <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p>Dear Guru and friends,<o:p></o:p></p><p>I am still tied up with the field survey, but doing my best to keep up in the between with all the useful material you are circulating.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The survey findings are alarming (no surprise here). In Latehar district, in 5 SC/ST hamlets, we found that 75% of children were unable to read a single word. Meanwhile, the schools are falling apart.<o:p></o:p></p><p>I wonder what the "line" is on automatic promotion. Once again it seems to suit privileged children, who are more or less on track, but it is the kiss of educational death for other children. How can children who were enrolled in Class 1 last year, and have never been to school or learnt the alphabet, be in Class 2 now (Class 3 in a few months), where they are given English textbooks (in Jharkhand)? Is there not a case for a "bonus year" when all children are helped to recover instead of sorting the winners and losers yet again? Just curious - I am sure that you have discussed this.<o:p></o:p></p><p>I am not clear whether <a href="mailto:research@educationemergency.net">"research@educationemergency.net"</a> is a kind of collective address so I am CC-ing a few at random!<o:p></o:p></p><p>Best,<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jean<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On 10-08-2021 11:05, Guru wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks Jean<br><br>We are in the process of translating posters to as many languages as possible as these can help in sharp and quick communication. We will share these with you as well.<br><br>regards<br>Guru<br><br><br>On 10/08/21 7:03 am, Jean Dreze wrote:<br><br><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p>Dear Guru: Thanks for this and other mails. I am up to my ears right now with the field survey (until 22 August), but I will catch up as soon as possible. We will definitely help with media for one thing.<o:p></o:p></p><p>More asap,<o:p></o:p></p><p>Jean<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On 06-08-2021 15:41, Guru wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><pre>Dear Jean<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>I am attaching the posters that my colleague made in our Karnataka<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>'Open Schools' campaign<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>The campaign included a street protest, media articles, few press<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>releases which were reported in local papers. It may have helped a bit -<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>the Karnataka Govt kept high schools open Jan-March 2021.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Through the State SMC Federation, Niranjan and others also organized<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>district level protest meetings on school opening. A PIL was also put up<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>in Karnataka High Court on both opening schools and providing mid day<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>meals. The CJ was sympathetic but did not give a firm directive to open<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>schools. (there is a general middle class fear psychosis)<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>For this time, apart from posters, street protests, short videos<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>(children, parents, teachers) in multiple languages, social media<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>campaigns, apart from policy briefs, guidelines/toolkits for school<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>opening will be required. And the idea of the national coalition is to<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>share resources/ideas across groups working in different geographies.<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre>regards,<o:p></o:p></pre><pre>Guru<o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre><a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2021/mar/19/midday-meals-as-crucial-as-classes-survey-2278502.html">https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2021/mar/19/midday-meals-as-crucial-as-classes-survey-2278502.html</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="https://itforchange.net/press-release-open-all-schools-and-all-classes-local-hygiene-precautions">https://itforchange.net/press-release-open-all-schools-and-all-classes-local-hygiene-precautions</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre><a href="https://itforchange.net/press-release-open-all-primary-schools-now-to-avoid-a-learning-crisis">https://itforchange.net/press-release-open-all-primary-schools-now-to-avoid-a-learning-crisis</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre><o:p> </o:p></pre><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></blockquote><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></body></html>