Project SM: Stakeholders Mobilization

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The school environment is crucial to child's learning. Pupils will be more inspired to go to school if the school is conducive to learning. Maintaining the school environment as well as improving its facilities needs a lot of funds. School Maintenance and Operating Expenses is not sufficient for the maintenance and improvement of school facilities. We need the support of our external stakeholders to do this job. Involvement and participation of the external stakeholders is very low in school activities. Our stakeholders play a vital role in helping the school generate funds for the improvement of our school facilities.

METHODS

The school organized its School Governing Council (SGC). A series of meetings were conducted on how they could work together to improve the school's physical environment. The Grand Alumni Homecoming and Organizing Alumni Association was also made with the help of the SGC. Fund raisings such as the Fun Run and solicitation of funds lead by the PTA was made.

Creation of the school's official Facebook Page and regular posting of school needs, publication, and reporting of projects and donations of private individuals & NGO's, were done using the school's official FB Page. Recognition of Stakeholders was also done.

RESULTS

In June-September, only 8% of thetotal school funding came from donations of stakeholder's while School Donations from October-January comprises 50% of the total school funding source. Donations received by the school rose from 8% to 50%. External stakeholder's support / donations received increased by 42%. This shows that activities implemented under Project SM (Stakeholders Mobilization) were effective. Due to the increased external stakeholders support and donations, a remarkable improvement in school facilities was achieved.

DISCUSSIONS

Organizing the schools’ internal and external stakeholders is very important. School Governing Council (SGC), General Parent and Teachers Association (GPTA), the Alumni Association and Teachers plays an important role in achieving the school's goals and objectives. As the saying goes "It takes a village to raise a child", the school alone cannot produce holistic individual, the school needs the support of external stakeholders. If the school can maximize stakeholders' participation, it is not only the physical facilities that will be improved, but the drop-out crisis and deteriorating academic performance can also be addressed.