Varanasi, India
Indian NGO 641
Little Stars School
Shanti Niketan Gurukul (Safe Home For Needy Girls)
Unit of (Rishi Pragatisheel Shikshan Sansthan)
Because You care
FCRA No.13670076
School
The mission
The mission of the school is to provide an excellent education that empowers each of our student to reach their full potential. The overall aim is to break the cycle of poverty faced by them and their family members. The school helps the students to develop into empowered indian citizens and role models in their communities.
Hindi-medium
Little Stars School is a Hindi-medium school, with enhanced English and uses the Uttar Pradesh Board curriculum. Hindi is the main instructional language. Maths and Social Studies are also taught in English. The school educates children from pre-nursery through class 12. We aim high and hope to send as many students as possible to higher education.
Smaller classes
The students encounter a lot of disadvantages: illiterate parents, no help for homework and no money for extra tuition. So quality education can only be obtained during school hours in not too big classes. A class size of about 30 children gives our kind of students the best chance of school success. The demand for schooling from the community however is high. That’s why the classes 1 – 6 are up to 40 students. The fee free Government school – except books and uniform – often have classes upto 100 students.
teacher training
Every year teachers’ training is conducted by a specialised trainer. We have started the practice of inviting teachers from other non-profit schools to join. The results of training have a clear improvement in our students learning! Volunteers are welcome to share their educational views and skills!
training on the spot
During the year Asha Pandey conducts weekly observations and gives advice about class management, lesson plans, didactics and monthly and half-yearly exams.
Raising teachers' salaries
A school for the poor is also a poor school. Teachers’ salaries paid are far below the local teacher average. In the past, we provided teacher training but lost 80% of the teachers annually to higher paying jobs. In the last two years, thanks to special donations, we were able to raise salaries some and now we have 60% retention, which is making a visible difference in our students’ education.
However the salaries we are able to offer are not near market wage for qualified teachers. We try to get more special donations for the teachers’ salaries.
Attendance
We keep attendance records and check them every week. If it is less than 75% we contact the parent, which usually involves a home visit.
Girls
We give extra care and attention to making sure girl students are succeeding. Our motto is: “When you educate a girl, you educate a family”
After graduation
After graduation from grade 10 and 12 students are encouraged to go on for higher education or vocational training, and we support as many of them as possible financially through sponsorships.
Vocational training
Students who are not academically inclined or who must contribute financially to their families are currently provided additional vocational training in:
1) Beautician courses
2)Typing
3) Computer and Communication Technology.
All SUBJECTS
Pre-Nursery
- Hindi
- English
- Math
- Drawing
- Physical training
- Projects
Nursery
- Hindi
- English
- Math
- Science
- Physical training
- Gen. Knowledge
- Drawing
- Physical training
- Projects
Class 1 to 8
- Hindi, English
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
- Environmental St.
- Gen. Knowledge
- Drawing
- Physical training
- Projects
Class 9 + 10
- Hindi, English, math, Sanskrit
- Physics, Chemistry, Biology
- History, Civics
- Geography, Economics
- Home Sc. (Girls)
- Drawing
- Physical training
- Projects
- Computer Science
Class 11 + 12
"Arts Stream"
- Hindi
- English, Urdu, Sanskrit
- History
- Socialogy, Phychology
- Education, Geography
- Civics
"Commerce Stream"
- Hindi
- English
- Accountancy
- Bussiness organization (B.O.)
- Banking
"Science Stream"
- Hindi
- English
- physics
- Chemistry
- Biology, Maths
- Music, Arts, Computer
Frome our newsletter, February, 2010
The little Girl with the white scarf is Kalyani Verma. This year she is appearing B.A. first year, Psychology. Shivan Singh at LSS acting as a police officer, now Completing his B.A. in Commerce at Harish Chandra Degree College. Renu Jha is very talented. She left LSS after class 8 in 2004, and did class 9-12 at Durga Charan Shivala. Now B.A. Khatak Dance in Benares Hindi University. In the side she earns some money in advertisement.
