‘Learning can be fun’ would have sounded like a farce thirty-seven years back, when the fundamental of education was based on testing memory and delivered through ‘rote-learning’ methods. This method led to the cramming of meaningless facts instead of internalising the concepts leading to lifelong learning.
Ms Gloria de Souza, an educationist identified this void in the Indian education system and worked towards discovering a revolutionary learning system which was an effective alternative to the traditional rote-learning system. She founded Parisar Asha, a not-for-profit organisation in 1982 introduced a unique learning pedagogy Environmental Studies Approach towards Learning (ESAL) to the education world. ESAL is a problem-solving alternative to the cramming of meaningless facts. This pedagogy is infused into the state board curriculum and rolled out as the Eco-tech World School Programme. This programme offers students and teachers opportunities for growth in knowledge, learning skills, attitudes, and values. It aims to promote awareness and understanding of the environment, one’s relationship to it, and the concern and responsible actions necessary to ensure our survival, preserve traditional assets—physical, intellectual, social, and cultural—and improve the quality of life.
After passing the baton to Ms. Aarati Savur, who is the current CEO of Parisar Asha, many other initiatives have been taken up that act as the supporting pillars towards providing a holistic education system. Along with the Eco-tech World School Programme, Parisar Asha also conducts in-service Teachers’ Training Workshops for the upgradation of the teachers so that they get well-acquainted with the ESAL pedagogy. Additionally, every year a week-long Educators’ Excellence Certificate Program is conducted on myriad topics to enhance teachers’ skills. Parisar Asha also conducts an annual conference for educators to discuss various educational topics moderated by industry experts. Parisar Asha has also launched a parenting and child helpline, ‘Positive Parenting & Child Helpline’, a toll-free number, a first-of-a-kind initiative in India, run by a team of professional counsellors and psychiatrists who attend to child-related and parental woes and provide free counselling service.
Over the years, Parisar Asha has touched millions of students and thousands of teachers through its unique programme. Parisar Asha has also been honoured with the accolades Certificate of Merit by CSR Congress 2018, Certificate of Merit by Indian Sustainability Leadership Award 2018, Global NGO CSR Award for 2016 for Outstanding Contribution in Education for Sustainability, ‘Reimagine Learning Challenge Pacesetter’ title by Lego Foundation and Ashoka Changemaker for 2014-15. Ms Aarati Savur, CEO has been honoured with the Maharashtra Guru Gaurav Award 2016, the Women Achiever Award 2016 by IWC, the Femina World Women Super Achiever Award 2017, the Indian Women Achiever’s Award 2017 by IWAA, Women Leadership Excellence Awards 2017 –Asia by CMO Asia, Women Leader with a Purpose Award 2018.
