Contribution of SALT approach to address School drop out after COVID

[Ujana kumari Minj]

Contribution of SALT approach to address School drop out after COVID 

Hi, I am Ujana Minj, SALT facilitator from Rural Aid, Alipurduar District, West Bengal, India.

In the children's group meeting at Dima tea garden, I and my colleague Pancham and got to know about a school dropout case. The boy said that he is eager to study, but his parents are busy with work and are not able to meet the school authorities.

We decided to conduct a SALT home visit to the mother.  We had seen her in community meetings, and she would generally remain quiet.  

The mother shared that as she is not educated  but does not know Hindi language and can only converse in the local indigenous language,  Shardi.  She is very nervous to approach the teacher and does not know how will she talk to the teacher. She observed that due to her lack of confidence, she relies on others and when they are not able to help her, she blames her incompetence and shyness.

We had a SALT conversation with her and encouraged her. This conversation helped build her confidence. She approached the teacher and shared about the education of her children. The teacher responded positively, spoke to her in the indigenous language, and assured her that the children will be enrolled back in the school.  

We are helping her with Aadhar card for her children, and we hope that her children will be soon in school. This experience has given her a lot of confidence, and now she wants to help others to get their children back in school 

 Lesson learned – we can get dependent on others, if we try we can be self-reliant .We usually used to go to those who respond well. We learned that we must go to those who do not speak, they have a lot of potential in them and like others also want to do something for the community.  We as facilitators need to look out for them and talk to them.

 

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Am so proud of your work. thanks for posting Ujna