Making it happen: Indus Action
I had superannuated as Secretary, School Education and Literacy, Government of India in 2018 but it was difficult to get “disconnected” with this sector. And, when the invite came from Indus Action for the launch of a study they had conducted regarding the implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of Right to Education Act (RTE), I couldn’t […]
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD
Akshara has always believed in the power of strong engagement with the community way before it became fashionable and enshrined in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP2020). And it was this power that we put to test in the 22-week period between May 1, 2021 and September 18, 2021. Akshara’s Education Volunteers and Gram Panchayat […]
Making it happen: ZIIEI initiative of Aurobindo Society
It was March 17th 2018. In my capacity as Secretary, School Education, Government of India I visited Agra to launch Innovative Pathshaala- a series of booklets for the teachers comprising experiential and activity-based lesson plans mapped with the State Board. The event was organized by Sri Aurobindo Society and HDFC Bank’s initiative, ‘Zero-Investment Innovations for […]
VIRTUAL LEARNING AT AKANKSHA – PERSPECTIVES FROM TEACHERS & STUDENTS
Since school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has become the ‘new normal’. As essential as closing schools was, learning in the virtual space requires a lot of adjustment and acclimatization from teachers, students and parents. At Akanksha we put in place different strategies to make this transition less daunting. This article highlights […]
Project Shiksha- Working on bridging the digital divide & empowering low-income groups through 21st century skill development programs
Project Shiksha is a nonprofit working on bridging education gaps and providing 21st century skill development programs to children, women and youth from low income groups thereby increasing their avenues of employment, understand technology and preparing for the tech-driven future.
VACCINATION ACCEPTANCE, UPTAKE AND HESITANCY – COMMUNITY VOICES FROM URBAN MAHARASHTRA (MUMBAI & PUNE)
Since the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, efforts across the globe have been focused on developing a vaccine to combat the spread of the disease. In India, vaccination was made available in mid-January this year and over the past months has been made available in a phase-wise manner to different sections of the population. […]
School Boys Build Automatic Temperature-Scanning Gate for COVID-19 Control
Compulsory checking of body temperature at public entry points has been a widely adopted measure in the efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Fever is a common early symptom of COVID-19, and the most frequent mode of transmission is close contact with infected individuals. Thus, temperature screening can identify possible cases of COVID-19 and protect […]
Janyaa Children2Community Solutions
Water is an absolute necessity for human survival. However, access to water is becoming critical, particularly in parts of Asia. Some 54 percent of India faces extremely high-water stress. The crisis has become increasingly evident in recent years and informs all aspects of daily life including schooling. Government schools in India face multiple systemic and […]
A time to learn through Play during COVID-19 for Samay
Children all over the world are enduring disrupted routines during the lockdown triggered by COVID-19 and subsequent school closure. Underserved kids are especially faced with hardships and learning losses due to the economic and digital disparity. Samay (name changed) has also had it harder. The 13-year-old from Sagroli, Nanded in Maharashtra had a strictly routined […]
Community Participation for Sustainable and Quality Education
Community involvement is important to help develop a structured learning process both, within a formal setup like schools and institutions as well as in the outside environment. Researchers and educators have long agreed that when parents and the community gets involved in education, children try harder and achieve more at school (e.g., Epstein, 1995) resulting […]
