school -self assessment process; participatory learning and action for child-friendly school

School -Self Assessment Process;School -Self Assessment Process;Participatory Learning and ActioParticipatory Learning and Actio

n for Child-friendly schooln for Child-friendly school

Thailand

Child-friendly school Program

The Life Skills Development Foundation, Chiangmai Thailand

School Self - Assessments of Child-Friendly Conditions

By July 1999, all 23 pilot schools have completed the initial participatory process for self - assessment of child - friendly conditions , and most have completed formulation of school improvement plans , which are used to formulate SCHOOL CHARTERS for Child-Friendly Schools

School -Self Assessment Process;School -Self Assessment Process;Participatory Learning and Action for Child-friendly schoolParticipatory Learning and Action for Child-friendly school

Objectives of the Process

1.To develop awareness and support for child-friendly primary schools through participatory whole school-community CRC sensitization workshops;

2.To develop a system for self-assessment of school child-friendliness by pupils, parents, school committee members, teachers, and administrators using both locally-developed and external criteria/indicators; and


Objectives of the Process

3.To develop a participatory system for school-community stakeholders to jointly develop a common vision and strategies (School Charter), and to implement plans of action for multi-faceted improvement of the child-friendliness of their school


3-Day Process of Self-Assessment Day One: Self-assessment process began wi

th a child-rights camp for the pupils and a highly participatory child rights sensitization workshop for parents, teachers, and school committee members, (local leaders, respected individuals in the community, monks, etc).


3-Day Process of Self-Assessment Day Two: Pupils, teachers, and community members,

worked in separate groups to generate own criteria for child-friendly school conditions, then presented in a plenary session. In small groups, they studied the 23 external criteria of child-friendly school conditions and prioritized them. The results of their group work were presented in plenary starting from pupils, to community members, and ending with teachers.


3-Day Process of Self-Assessment Day Three: On third day, the locally-generate

d criteria and 23 external criteria of child-friendly school conditions were used by the participants to assess the perceived importance of each of the criteria and the perceived current status of the school for each of the criteria.


ParticipantsParticipants Pupils: 4 representatives (half male, half Pupils: 4 representatives (half male, half

female) elected by each classroom from female) elected by each classroom from grades 4-6, and including representatives grades 4-6, and including representatives of secondary level grades 1-3 in of secondary level grades 1-3 in ‘Expanded Opportunity Schools,’ plus ‘Expanded Opportunity Schools,’ plus leaders of the Pupil Councils. leaders of the Pupil Councils.


ParticipantsParticipants School Committee Representatives: All c

ommunity members of the School [management] Committee (8-10 persons).

Community Leaders Female Community Representatives School Staff: All teachers


General Methods Applied in the ProcessGeneral Methods Applied in the Process All activities used experiential learning

techniques – learning by doing Participants worked in groups of 6-8

persons to maximize cooperative learning

Pupils worked with other pupils; no segregation of sexes

- School Self Assessmen - School Self Assessmen t Process; t Process; Participatory Learning and Action for Ch Participatory Learning and Action for Ch- ild friendly school- ild friendly school

General Methods Applied in the ProcessGeneral Methods Applied in the Process Parents and community leaders worked

in groups segregated by sex Teachers worked in mixed-sex groups

separate from community members (for most activities)


General Methods Applied in the ProcessGeneral Methods Applied in the Process In plenary, pupils always presented first,

followed by community women, community men, and finally teachers

In presentations, views of groups were supported by reasons

Presentations were appreciated by other groups; no debate or criticism was allowed


The Evaluating Results of School – Self Assessment Process

Participation in Data CollectionParticipation in Data Collection 18 schools out of 23 returned the questionnaire pupils out of 6,052 enrolled in the 18 schools participated in the evaluation 295 teachers out of 299 in the 18 schools

participated in the evaluation


The Evaluating Results of School – Self Assessment Process

Participation in Data CollectionParticipation in Data Collection 579 579 parents/community leaders parents/community leaders (246 females, 333 males) participated in the evalua(246 females, 333 males) participated in the evalua

tiontion 18

school principals participated in the evaluation 9

education supervisors participated in the evaluation (returned the questionnaire)


Effectiveness of Methods and TechniqueEffectiveness of Methods and Technique Selection and Representation of ParticipantsSelection and Representation of Participants

1.Participants were generally satisfied with the selection and representation of members of the various stakeholder groups of the school-community.

2.Pupils and principals commented that more pupils should be involved in the SSA.


Methods Methods The participatory methods used

in the SSA process received high ratings by all stakeholder groups.

Impact on the School Results of the participatory evaluation indicate

a perceived high level of impact on the schools involved in the SSA process


Summary of Impact on the SchoolsSummary of Impact on the Schools

a) The SSA process had significant impact on improving their knowledge of the schools, their understanding of the meaning and characteristics of child-friendly schools

b) SSA improved communications among stakeholder groups, and

c) Stimulated interest of the community in participating in development of the school.

school -self assessment process; participatory learning and action for child-friendly school

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