Information regarding Netarhat School(Updated Sept 26th 2003)

Note : This document has been prepared in good faith and may have inaccuracies. They may kindly be pointed out. It should not be considered to be official version of school and is only for the information to NOBA members.

Thanks,

• Prabhat Ranjan

  (Nalanda, 1970-76)

DONATION

• School can accept donation from NOBA members in kind but not in cash. Dr. Dinesh Ranjan Jee has kindly made arrangements to donate two PCs, which school has accepted. However it was also suggested that provision for maintenance of such items may also be thought at the time of donation.

Modernization of SCHOOL

• Due to changes taking place in the society, school needs to be modernized urgently for which lot of resources are required. Here support from NOBA members in planning the modernization as well as help in raising resources for modernization would be very useful.

• Much better computer facility is needed. School needs about 2-3 class rooms with 20+1 computers each. Requisite number of teachers or trainers are needed for this purpose. Existing teachers need to be trained in the use of computers.

  (Some workshops for teachers and Ashramadhyaksha has been started)

• Few class rooms and seminar hall need Multimedia projector to take advantage of computer based teaching.

• There is a need to setup a local area network linking school and hostel and possibly teacher's quarters. Let me call this "HatNet" for the time being.:-)

• High speed internet connection is needed, which can be linked to HatNet. There are two possibilities here ( bandwidth should be at least 128 Kbps):

1. VSAT link : This is a better choice but may be costly

2. Leased line: This may be cheaper but may have problem like telephone line.

• Each Ashram should have two PCs in the "Vinod Kaksha" connected to "HatNet". This will allow students access to Internet from Ashram. It could also be done at Set level.

• Modern hobby centers are needed to be setup. My suggestion :

1. Electronics,

2. Robotics

3. Digital Photography

• Language Lab facility in the school needs improvement.

• Modern Communication Facility : Fax, e-mail and Web Site are needed. Fax machine can be procured by school or donated by NOBA. Limited e-mail facility would be available through modem by calling Ranchi but will be expensive until Good internet connectivity can be established. I will setup a initial web-site based on information made available from school. This can be hosted at NOBA site and enlarged and improved by other volunteers. Later it can be shifted to its own web-site. This aspect is very important to reduce the communication gap between NOBA and school.

  (School has applied for Dial up internet connection)

• Refresher course for teachers need to be arranged. They also need to visit other school and organizations of repute and become familiar with changes in modern education system. They could also be trained in concepts of "Creative learning", which can be done in conjunction with APCL (Assoc. for Promotion of Creative Learning). They would also need to be trained in the modern educational tools.

Professional Coaching

• In today's context professional coaching has become necessary for entrance test to professional courses. Due to lack of this facility most of the students opt out of the school at 11th. One needs to have an arrangement with a professional coaching organization to help with this or the existing teachers could be trained to provide this coaching with material supplied by the coaching organization. Since some of the NOBA members are involved with such coaching organizations, they could help in the process.

  [This year about 20 students have returned to join intermediate (this is a reversal of trend!) including some of the better students and thus professional coaching becomes even more important]

Status of Various Infrastructure and Facilities

• Library is in good condition but needs to be modernized to take advantage of e-learning

• Laboratories are in good condition

• Medical Facility needs urgent attention. No doctor is visiting school after 2001.

  (One Doctor has been posted at Netarhat. School has requested Civil Surgeon to release him urgently)

• Funds for repair of school building and ashrams have been sanctioned. PWD is working to get these done. However progress has been slow. Arun Ashram has been closed for repairs for last 10 years. Road repair is in progress. Sewerage line has choked at most places and PHED is supposed to take care of this!

• Electricity Problem : A new substation at Banari is being setup, which should alleviate the problem to some extent. This is expected to be completed by June. A hydroelectric power station at Lower Ghaghari is under construction. While all the equipment are at site, date of completion is not known. School has two sets of 125 KVA generator but has difficulty in repair and maintenance of these. Water problem is related to this. I believe it would be nice to have smaller generators at Ashram or set level. Also overhead tanks at Ashram level for water storage would help.

  (Electrical poles for power from Banari substation has been erected but wiring has not been done as yet)

ADMISSION PROCESS

• After bifurcation of state, admission for three batches has not been done. Now under agreement between governments 75% seat goes to Bihar and 25% to Jharkhand, with funds split in that ratio. Jharkhand School Examination Board has been asked to conduct admission test and fill up all three batches by July.

  (Students were tested for only Science and Maths and all the other tests were not caried out)

• This will fill up the seats. But I have few things bothering me: First of all, this would mean giving up the unique admission test that was conducted by school. Secondly, three new batches join at a time! 3rd year batch will hardly have any time to soak in "Netarhat Culture".

  [Three new batches have been selected for admission but only from Jharkhand area and they are supposed to undergo medical test next month before joining. Turn out of students for admission test was very poor (roughly 100 students out of 300 were selected). Roughly 50% seats are reserved now.].

STAFF STRENGTH

• Teachers are approximately 25 out of 47 posts. Few additional teachers are working on temporary basis.

• Out of 92 posts for class IV employees only 47 are there right now.