Balamitra Badis reopen after the summer vacation on the 15th of June, 2009. One month ahead of the reopening, the teachers of village schools arrived at Sagar Nagar on 15 May for a 12 day long training schedule to equip themselves for the coming academic session. 45 youth including teachers, Resource Centre coordinators and new recruits attended the training session. This year Balamitra is opening up six schools in the villages of Srikakulam and, teachers and coordinators from that area attended in full strength.The participant teachers were from the CBOs Sanjeevini, Adivasimitra, TERDS,RKSS and the Velugu.

The training schedule from 15 May to 26 May was structured in such a way that both academic as well as methodological aspects be covered in the period. The first six days were dedicated to subject enhancement of the teachers. Irrespective of their educational qualifications, we had found the teachers’ knowledge at basic level wanting and hence this exercise of drilling foundation into their Arithmetic and language skills has become part of the training programme. It was quite a satisfying effort as we found a remarkable improvement in their levels over the last few months. This training session also found lot of enthusiasm in the teachers to enhance their Maths and language skills. Worksheets and dictations were a daily feature in the session.

On the first day the teachers went through a short assessment to test their Maths and Telugu skills. The teachers were then divided into two groups for easy training sessions. Each day started with a replication of daily classroom activities which they follow at their respective schools.

Methodology, lesson plans and classroom songs and tribal songs in their respective languages (Kuyi, Oriya, Savara and Telugu) were given lot of stress during the latter part of the training. A six month plan for Classes I and II was given, bifurcated on a monthly basis, which was further divided into weekly plans to make it easier for the teachers. This was highly appreciated as the teachers found it a ‘reachable’ target by month end.

Besides giving them academic inputs, this training session had Bhanu speaking on the importance of assimilating local forest resources and the groups from each Resource Centre compiled an extensive list of available material in their respective areas. A presentation was made subsequently. This effort was so that the teachers, students and the villagers could prepare themselves to supplement the nourishment to the school goers. This list would serve as a data bank for the compilation of a book on forest resources. Ravi, our Executive Director interacted with them and apprised them of tribal culture and rights. Makkireddy Ramana, a senior Samata member spent an evening with them to educate on tribal land rights and instilled in them the awareness of their rights and laws.

On the last day, the Velugu team made it a very emotional farewell to the group by singing a song written and composed by them in Savara language. The training programme was quite successful barring the absence of some village teachers and intermittent health disorders of a few teachers. The sick teachers were treated at the local hospital for Malaria, which is a worrying feature at the villages. Health and hygiene aspects of the village was another factor which needed addressing with the teachers. The teachers, as the focal point in a village can bring about a marked difference in the upkeep of hygiene in their surroundings ,thereby being a part of a movement in containing epidemic attacks in the villages.