Corporate social responsibility (CSR) recognised the scope of e-learning long before coronavirus compelled urban schools to take heed of it. Here’s how the visionary e-learning CSR programmes of two companies—Nayara Energy and Endress+Hauser—have transformed education for thousands of students.
What are e-learning CSR programmes about?
e-learning CSR programmes make use of various electronic technologies to give students access to quality education outside a traditional classroom. The beneficiaries comprise children or adults who are otherwise unable to educate themselves either due to poverty or lack of resources.
Gramshiksha (CSR of Nayara Energy)
Nayara Energy owns and operates India’s second-largest single-site refinery. Its education CSR project Gramshiksha aims to ensure inclusive, equitable quality education as well as promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Most of the children are first-generation learners, and there is a pronounced gender gap with increasing dropout rates for girls. Around 48% of the adolescents drop out and do not study beyond the 8th grade. Through multiple interventions, the project Gramshiksha works towards improving access to education in 15 villages in Gujarat to both, children and adults, covering an age group of 6-35 years.
The CSR project endeavours to improve the quality of primary education through enrolment drives like Shala Praveshotsav, remedial teaching, attendance monitoring, ICT education, and building capacity of teachers and school officials. After the establishment of 16 National Institute Open Schooling (NIOS) centres, providing scholarships (with 75 students given scholarships so far) and promoting ICT education, the project works towards improving access to quality secondary education. It aims to reach out and engage with the community through Gramshiksha centres, awareness campaigns and adult literacy classes to ensure equitable access to functional literacy.
Gramshiksha adopts a multi-pronged approach to improve the level and overall quality of education of the students, teachers as well as community members. Over 1,800 students and 100 teachers have been engaged in programmes for primary education, with all the 18 schools having provisions of computer labs and smart classrooms as part of e-learning CSR programmes.
Free web-based training (CSR of Endress+Hauser)
Endress+Hauser is a Swiss-based globally operating process and laboratory instrumentation and automation supplier. The company has been running e-learning CSR programmes since 2012. It aims to provide free web-based training to engineering students to familiarise them with the latest technologies and principles used for measuring physical parameters such as level flow pressure temperature, water quality analytics etc., for enhanced understanding and implementation of technical training. General classes include classroom teaching of technologies, but there is an imbalance observed in the application of such programmes.
The programme is based on a self-learning process, where various web-based training modules on different technologies, principles, and their applications in major industries such as chemical, life science, food and beverages, oil and gas, power, mining etc., are made available to the students. Students can self-learn through the programme according to their convenience and sit for an online test after completing the module. After completing all the modules, the students receive a certificate from Endress+Hauser. This training method helps them to enhance their knowledge about the latest technology, and use it in future.
The programme has helped students understand how new developments can be practically implemented. The students are also provided with the opportunity to visit the factory to witness manufacturing processes and get to know the application of various technologies. The certifications have helped more than 1,200 engineering students from various institutes in Aurangabad avail a larger pool of job opportunities.
