Olcott Memorial High School

1
Olcott Memorial High School

• Besant Nagar Chennai-90
• Fund Raising Proposal
• October 2007

2
Olcott Memorial High School (OMHS)

• Free school for socially and economically less
  privileged children
• School seeks to remedy built-in disabilities of
  environment and nutrition

• Established 1894
• Location Theosophical Society Campus, Besant
  Nagar, Chennai

• Co-education
• Classes I through X
• Tamil medium
• BoysGirls 3726
• Student strength 632

3
OMHS Context

• Children from nearby slums fisherfolk, coolies,
  housemaids etc
• Homes of children
• Annual income of Rs. 15-20 thousand
• Rampant domestic violence, alcoholism, women
  child abuse

OMHS seeks to provide a vibrant, happy
environment for holistic learning
4
Curriculum

• Affiliated to the Tamil Nadu State Board
• Tamil - first language
• English -second language
• Maths, Science, Social Sciences subjects
• Students appear for SSLC (Class X) certificate
  examinations after 10 years of schooling
• Students of Class VIII X learn vocational
  skills
• Tailoring, Embroidery, Drawing and painting, Food
  preservation and baking, Carpentry, Book binding,
  Screen Printing, Fabric design, Jewellery making

5
Initiatives

• Nutrition program
• Mid-day meal enriched with sambhar, rice,
  vegetables
• Breakfast at 930 am of Kanji (ragi, cereals,
  pulses)

• Classroom provisions
• All students provided with good quality notebooks
• TN Govt covers 100 of textbook needs
• Uniforms 2 good quality uniforms/year/student

6
Initiatives

• Technology Aided Learning (TAL)
• Projection equipment and digital lessons to
  enrich learning of maths, science, social studies
• Special Program for English and Language Learning
  (SPELL)
• To help students with comprehension, oral and
  written expression in English
• Primary Resource Centre
• To improve social and thinking skills through
  educational games and associated activities
• Library Reasonable collection
• Games and Sports Large playground

7
Teachers The Schools Lifeline

• Teachers come from community in and around Adyar
• Teachers interested in education of
  under-privileged children

Committed teachers are responsible for the
unique set of initiatives in the school
8
Issues that need support

• Teacher and Staff Salaries
• Average teacher salary stands at Rs. 2500/month
• Average staff salary stands at Rs. 1350/month
• Most teachers struggle to sustain families
• Many well-trained teachers leave
• Health and Nutrition
• Parents cannot take care of sick children at home
• Supporting medical expenses is increasingly
  demanding
• School pays for 3-5 days of medicines, plasters
  etc
• Free eye check-up, special equipment for the
  disabled provided

9
Proposal

• Salaries
• Raise average teacher salary from Rs. 2500/month
  to Rs. 5000/month over 3 years
• Raise average support staff salary from Rs.
  1350/month to Rs. 2000/month over 3 years
• Increase annual health and nutrition budget by 15

10
Proposal

• Perceived Impact
• Retention of teachers
• Continued medical support to students

• Budget Implications
• 20 increase in 2007-08 over 2006-07
• From Rs. 29 lakh/year to Rs. 35 lakh/year
• 15 increase in 2008-09 over 2007-08
• From Rs. 35 lakh/year to Rs. 40 lakh/year

11
Support Sought from Asha for Education

• Increased budget needs 2007-2008 INR 6
  lakh
• Increased budget needs 2008-2009 INR5
  lakh
• Increased budget needs 2009-2010 INR
  6 lakh
• Total support for 3 years Rs17 lakh
  USD 45000