government schools

“It is such a tragedy that on the occasion of the death anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, who spent his entire life educating people, making them aware, in getting them their rights, you have taken a step towards privatisation of education,” says Sudhakar Sonavane, former mayor of Navi Mumbai.  He is referring to Maharashtra government's "Adopt A School" scheme, which educationists and parents believe is an invitation in disguise for private players to take over government schools, where the poorest in the state study. It was launched on December 5th in the presence of chief minister Eknath Shinde and school…

Two significant changes in teaching and learning have marked the opening of schools in Bengaluru after a nine-month shutdown. One is the wholesale move from physical classrooms to digital classrooms. Second is the substantial reduction in syllabus, commensurate with the loss of teaching days this academic year.  Most schools had been preparing for the digital shift “by the end of last April itself,” says Gowri Mirlay-Achanta, a teacher at St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School. And they were told about the reduction in syllabus in July, she recalls. In fact, schools affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations…

This article is part of our special series on Delhi Elections 2020 Jatin Kumar, 11, a Class 6 student at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in South Delhi's Madangir was an introvert who was hesitant to approach the teacher. Now he is a confident young student who volunteers to take part in school activities. He credits this change to the "Happiness Curriculum", under which 100,000 students in Delhi schools, from nursery to class 8, participate, learning through inspirational stories and meditation classes. A Curriculum for Happiness for school children was the brainchild of the Dalai Lama, which he launched on July 2, 2018. The…

What you see in the picture above is not just a classroom. This houses an entire school from first grade to seventh grade with 27 students right in the heart of Mysuru city. A few years back this government school had over 300 students. Since 2005 Pratham’s Annual Survey of Education reports (ASER) have been showing dreadful learning performance of our future generation every year. Every one knows that the emperor has no clothes, but we are not ready to implement the needed reforms. India's education sector, for all practical purposes, has collapsed. Ironically, at a time when we want…

Lakshmi works as a domestic help with a few families in Bengaluru. Her daughter during the academic year 2018-2019 had been admitted to LKG in a private school through the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, section 12(1)(c). The Act promises 25 percent reservation in private unaided schools for weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. Lakshmi chose to avail this choice as she felt that in government schools, children are left to themselves and aren't provided adequate attention. She says that she wants to educate her daughter, and felt private school was the best option. There are several…

One of the most pressing challenges faced by the Indian education system is to bridge the gap between the infrastructure and quality of education in a private school and that of a government school. While the government rethinks its model for public schools across the country, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and citizen groups have taken it upon themselves to bring about change. The Avasar Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO recently inaugurated a pre-primary school at the Seegehalli Government Higher Primary School located in Kadugodi, near Whitefield in Bengaluru. This pre-primary school has been built on the kindergarten model that is seen in…

Isana Nambiar has always been a great fan of female entrepreneurs, following the stories of many. Her favourite TED talk, “Programming your Mind for Success” by Carrie Green, has been big inspiration for her. With someone as passionate about entrepreneurship as she is, it is no surprise that at age 16, Isana has already started her own initiative and is currently in the process of building HelpEd, an online tool that will connect government schools lacking resources to donors willing to provide for their needs. Isana first came up with the idea in the beginning of summer; “I had a…

At the launch of the Green and Safe School project. Pic: B.PAC  B.PAC has been working on sustainability and safety issues and is now pioneering the concept of a Green and Safe School model with a holistic vision to create a clean, hygienic, safe environment in government schools that is conducive for learning. A ‘Green and Safe School’ follows a child-centric approach, where schools become a space for positive carbon footprint, free of violence, harassment and abuse. B.PAC in association with Shell MRPL Aviation Fuels & Services Ltd aims to apply the principles of the Green and Safe School to…

We, Natalie Sridhar who has completed her bachelors in psychology from the US, Mohammed Fazil an ex-Cisco employee, and Deepa Mahesh, an ex-Target employee are currently Teach for India fellows, teaching Grades three and four at the Kadugodi Govternment School.  We have been in this system for the last four months and realise there are many things that the school needs support with.  Infrastructure needs Drinking Water: Water supply is an issue because the pump for the borewell keeps going out of order. The school also needs a water purifying system to make the water drinkable for the kids. Toilets: We have…

Aashayein Foundation organised 'UDAY 2012',  an annual cultural meet for children from the city on December 16th at Mt Carmel College, Palace Road. Uday brought together children from government schools and orphanages on a common platform to showcase their talent in performing arts. A total of 230 children from six government schools and four orphanages participated in the event showcasing their talent in classical dance and singing.While the children in government schools and orphanages are powerhouses of talent, they seldom get an opportunity to showcase and develop them. The idea is not only to encourage the children showcase their non-academic…