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Dear all,<br>
<br>
Niranjan Aradhya and I had useful meetings today with Commissioner,
Director (Primary), Director (Secondary), Director (SSK) and SPD,
SSK today (Secretary was on leave). We gave them the <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief/"><b>Research
Brief</b></a> in <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fzhuqd3qRs_hdApq4n_TwpR2b82M7TvZ/view?usp=sharing">Kannada</a>
(Thanks to Brinda for translating and Sreemoyee for productionising)
and a note on "<b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/revising-instructional-processes-on-school-opening/">Revising
instructional processes</a>"</b> (thanks to Ranjani), this is
the next version of the note that Ranjani had earlier shared for
Rishi's meeting with MOE.<br>
<ol>
<li><b>Commissioner</b> listened keenly and he and all directors
were fully agreeable that LPS must open. So the issue seems to
be fear (who will be responsible if children fall ill/die) at
the political leadership. Of course, we clarified that
attendance should be voluntary and parents who want to send
children should be able to. Also children are not in sterile
environments in most cases at home/community and susceptibility
to virus is low and harm from closure is high. </li>
<li>He was keen to get more detailed academic guidelines and
requested us to share same with him to discuss with SCERT and
Minister. We said we would share and also that a wider
consultative process would be needed (I mentioned "wider
consultation is happening in TN" and "TN has made special
budgetary allocation" at the slightest opportunity :-)). He said
he would convene such a process.</li>
<li>He also said instructions to resume MMS have already been
given...but there are some long wided processes to resume
(procurement of food grains and said resumption would be from
Oct 15, post the dasara holidays). He was very clear on this. </li>
<li><b>SPD</b> said they do not have any funding issues when I
mentioned TN special provision. I mentioned schools will need
untied grants to take care of local repairs/infrastructure,
health precautions, additional learning materials etc. More
follow up needed here as she was quite placid. Special untied
school grant must be insisted.<br>
</li>
<li>All <b>DPIs</b> agreed fully that LPS must open asap. They
seemed to suggest that the decision was at the CM's level (a
meeting is scheduled this month end where they will decide to
open LPS is the feeling)<br>
</li>
</ol>
Similar meetings could be planned in other states also -
AP/Telangana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand... The research brief in
English, Hindi and Kannada is available <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aoNEaOZIAWx3IUjIVwgISU_qSUH9sXBE?usp=sharing"></a>
on<b>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief">https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief</a>
</b>and the revising instructional processes on <b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/revising-instructional-processes-on-school-opening/">https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/revising-instructional-processes-on-school-opening/</a></b><br>
<br>
<font color="#5a30ed"><b>Immediate need from department is a more
detailed academic guidelines ("What should teachers do when
schools open - across grades and 'subjects'). This is something
we should focus on as all state govts will be keen to have this.
</b></font><br>
<br>
regards,<br>
Guru<br>
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