Pervesh Project: A Creative Learning Model in Primary Education of Punjab

The sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Punjab has always been actively involved in the improvement of quality of school education in Punjab. Special focus has been on primary schools as qualitative primary education serves as a strong foundation in the academic career of a child. The main objective behind these quality interventions has been to eradicate the difference between actual learning level of the students and class specific goals. In the past years the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Punjab has done a commendable job as far as primary education is concerned.

To take the quality of primary education in Punjab to a new level, it was strongly felt that something innovative needs to be done to make this qualitative learning creative and joyful. So, we initiated the PERVESH (Primary VidyaSudhar) project for creative and joyful learning in primary education of Punjab. This programme attempts to build a strong base among children in learning basic language skills, mathematics and desired curriculum through Creative Learning Model (CLM) of education.

In Creative Learning Model, teaching is not merely a traditional classroom process where a teacher speaks and children listen and write but also involves both the teacher and the children as creative and dynamic participants in the process of teaching and learning.

Morning Assembly

Why PERVESH?

Prior to the year 2008, a child was evaluated for all the information he possessed. It was a system of information based evaluation.

Project-Flow-ChartDuring 2008 to 2012, the Focus shifted to Minimum Levels of Learning (MLL) by providing level-oriented targets for pupils. Its aim was to eradicate the difference between the actual learning level of a child and class specific goals. Evaluation was based on targets achievement.

PERVESH focuses more on process of teaching and learning than the out-comes of the same. It is based on the CLM of education. It designs classroom activities as per the main guidelines of RTE and CCE.

PERVESH encourages level appropriate learning instead of class based traditional system of learning. Following the spirit of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), students’ level of learning is diagnosed at the onset of the academic session through Baseline Test, and appropriate treatment is provided to the children to impart the required level specific skills. In the middle of the session, a Mid-Test is conducted to assess the progress, and at the end of session, a Post-Test is conducted to know the final progress made by the students. A student is promoted to the next learning level, irrespective of the timeframe, as soon as he/she acquires the desired skills of a certain level.

PERVESH aims to bring about large scale improvement in the quality of reading, writing and arithmetic levels of primary school-goers through:

  • Layered teacher training
  • Creation and distribution of colourful and graded curriculum related supplementary reading material among children
  • Learning by doing, discovery and exploration
  • Monitoring of the school activities
  • Sensitising the teachers towards child psychology, creative and play way methodology of teaching, use of audio-visual aids to thrust aside the rote method of learning
  • Holding the teachers accountable for their work

Radio Classroom

Targets
PERVESH aims to achieve that every child in government primary schools should be able to:

Class I-III
• Acquire reading, writing and basic arithmetic skills.

Class IV-V
• Acquire reading, writing and basic arithmetic skills.
• Complete the curriculum without any difficulty.

Management of PERVESH

The State Management Unit (SMU) at the top is the chief governing body comprising State Project Director SSA cum Director General School Education Sh K S Pannu, IAS, Additional State Project Director; Smt Parampal Kaur Sidhu, DPI (EE), Director SCERT , ASPD (Media); Dr Davinder Singh Boha and all DEO (EE) along with other functionaries. The SMU is responsible for chalking out the policy and framework and is responsible for monitoring the project at state level.

The District Management Unit (DMU) is responsible for the implementation of project at the district level. It comprises of the DEO (SE), DEO (EE), Principal DIET, All BPEOs and Pervesh District Coordinators along with other functionaries. At the district level, the DMU plays a major role in making the project’s report card impressive.

Creativity - Sand paper and ColoursOn the pattern of the above committees at the block level, the BPEOs and Pervesh Block Coordinators monitor the project at their respective blocks. The SMU and DMU are scheduled to meet at least once a month to review the progress made and chalk out the future strategies of the project.

The support and strength is provided to the teacher at the grass root level. Pervesh Block Coordinators (PBCs) visit their allotted schools regularly to support and acquaint the teacher with latest innovations in teaching learning process, provide feedback regarding their teaching methodology and render support where required. Along with the dedicated work force of Pervesh Block Coordinators (PBC) at block levels, the Pervesh District Coordinators (PDCs) at district level is the main cog in the system of the state and lower level chain of command.

Cultural ActivitySome innovations under PERVESH

Under PERVESH , some innovations are put in place to make the teaching learning process more participatory.

A mini library called ‘Reading Corner’ has been established in all the schools to develop reading habits in children and hence improving the learning in language. Equipped with an array of books, the reading corner is the main hub of knowledge for the young learners with a variety of class and level specific books to cater to the needs of young developing minds. ‘Pervesh Bal Pustika’ (a quarterly magazine) is a unique endeavor under Pervesh in which the creative and innovative ideas of primary school children are published in the form of poems, stories and concept based paintings.

‘Bal Sabha’ (Pupils’ Gathering) is a regular feature in primary schools every Saturday. Special activities are designed for these Bal Sabhas to develop a child’s potential on various fronts.

Various competitions at the cluster, block, district and state levels are organised in the form of sports, cultural and educational competitions, social and other important issues oriented painting competitions, math tables and handwriting competitions and rhyme competitions, etc. to provide exposure to the hidden talent in primary school children.

Radio Classroom is one of the initiatives undertaken under PERVESH to provide lessons to the children of standard III to V through audio media. It is a state initiative to prepare the radio programs based on the syllabus with the help of concerned teachers and children. Radio lessons are delivered directly to the children in class through local FM radio channels. Selected topics are prepared by experts and artists with children participation. Radio lessons leave a long lasting impression of knowledge and understanding of the delivered topic in the minds of children.

Various competitions like Table competitions, Handwriting competitions, Painting competitions on various social issues like Save Water and Environment are organised at the cluster, district and state levels.

Vision of PERVESH

PERVESH envisages that in next five years, the students of Government primary schools of Punjab will be able to fully assimilate the Creative Learning Model of education not only in a classroom scenario, but also in daily life. A certain theme of the curriculum will be taught to the pupils in more than one ways to strengthen the essential understanding of that specific topic. The teacher will become proficient to impart the required education in a real creative manner. The learner will also be able to inherit the classroom Creative Learning Model in day-to-day life.

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