Education is a constitutional right of every citizen in India. However the overwhelming financial and cultural disparity in the country has resulted in the increase of inequity in accessing education. According to a UNICEF report released in June 2020, school closures impacted 247 million children in elementary and secondary education and 28 million children in pre-schools and Anganwadi centers in India. This is in addition to more than six million children who were already out of school before the COVID-19 crisis. As the study signifies the immediate need for assistance, the pandemic has only worsened the situation for underprivileged children across India. Government schemes and interventions from different NGOs have become the only cradle of hope for these budding minds.
Government Schools become the catalyst to extend quality education, due to which NGOs focus on transforming these schools into attractive learning centers. The following 5 NGOs are committed to ensuring quality education for children studying in Government Schools.
Bal Utsav
Bal Utsav, an education-based NGO has been transforming government schools across India to make quality education and basic infrastructure accessible to all. Their celebratory approach to redefining government school education led them to conceive flagship programs like I-shaala which focuses on digital innovation in classrooms and the Sampoorna shaala which focuses on revitalizing government schools. They developed a 360-degree school revitalization program focusing on four key areas of intervention i.e school infrastructure, Wash( Water, Sanitation, And Hygiene), teacher development, and scholarships for students. This has significantly contributed to the increase in enrolment rates and reverse migration to government schools. Since Bal Utsav’s conception, they have revamped over 200+ govt schools in Karnataka and nearly 800,000 students have benefited from its flagship programs.
Makkala Jagriti
Makkala Jagriti is an NGO conceived to provide a safe and friendly space where children from marginalized communities can gather after school hours and engage in meaningful and enriching learning activities. Their flagship programs are the ECCE ( Early Childhood Care and Education) which is designed to promote the holistic development of children from ages 3 -6, the HDLC (Holistic Development Learning Centres) which sets up thoughtfully designed learning centers within government schools for children from ages 6-14 and the Yuva Jagriti program which imparts essential life skills and facilitates access to opportunities to fulfill the aspirations of the youth. They have impacted the lives of over 50,000+ students and integrated with 200+ anangawadis to create a holistic learning environment.
OSAAT ( One School At A Time)
OSAAT which stands for one school at a time is a volunteer-run non-profit organization rebuilding the infrastructure of rural schools in India. OSAAT’s mission is to enable children in rural India to thrive, supporting both their physical and emotional health to foster intellectual growth and break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty. Through their programs, they aim to Close the urban-rural divide by rebuilding and expanding schools and providing cutting-edge learning tools in rural India. With their programs such as the ODiSI (OSAAT digital school infrastructure) which provides a digital platform for learning, they are making contemporary education accessible for rural children. Through targeted investments and strategic partnerships, OSAAT has successfully transformed 60+ schools across India and more than 10,000 students benefited from a classroom, proper workspaces, sanitation facilities, kitchens, drinking water, libraries, and playgrounds.
EVidyaloka
EVidyaloka is an educational social enterprise, with a vision to enable quality education for the children of rural India. The organization creates digital classrooms for children in remote villages, with the support of local communities and Volunteer Teachers from across the globe. Focussed on the children in the age group of 10-14, Evidyaloka aims to leverage technology to provide basic education through Govt elementary schools in remote and rural villages of India. The program provides live interactive classes in the local medium, through a powerful partner ecosystem. The children from various government schools in rural India receive e- quality education with standardized lesson plans and teaching Aids. eVidyaloka has impacted over 5 Million students across India and catered to over 61+ schools as part of their digital innovation program.
Colors of Life
Colors of life is a non-profit organization striving to uplift underprivileged children by helping government schools to transform themselves into institutes of excellence. They aim to provide additional support to the schools through different programs to boost the children’s life skills, sports, and arts programs. They provide teachers and volunteers in collaboration with corporates, and experts to enhance the quality of education. In addition to assisting the students through their schooling till class 10, the NGO also helps with securing positions in colleges, providing tuition fees and scholarships to outstanding students.
