Swatantra Talim Foundation

In the 2015-16 period, the Swa-Aangan program was operational in two districts of Uttar Pradesh: Sitapur and Lucknow. In Sitapur's Ramdwari village, Mahmoodabad Tehsil, the organization worked with approximately 60 children (both boys and girls). Concurrently, in Lucknow's Qila Paasi village, the program was active with 25 children. At both centers, the children were divided into three groups - Neev, Seekh, and Srijan - based on their respective learning levels.
The educational philosophy adopted at these centres focused on employing low-cost, high-quality, and contextually relevant methodologies that facilitated hands-on learning experiences for children. As a result of these efforts, 60 children who had dropped out of the education system were successfully re-enrolled in government schools through Swa-Aangan.
Presently, there are 160 children aged between 6 to 14 years who attend the programme regularly (with an average attendance of over 80%) for 3-4 hours after regular school hours

During 2022-23, the organisation conducted five puppet shows based on stories derived from bestselling books. Each puppet show was strategically linked to a specific learning objective, offering thematic and conceptual connections. Following each puppet show, it organized sessions focused on Toys, Games, and Puzzles designed to reinforce related concepts and themes.
The Khoj Yaan programme (previously known as Khoj Dabba) is an arts-based tinkering initiative deeply rooted in the principles of maker education. This program is highly experiential yet equally reflective. It emphasizes empowering students to voice their thoughts and preferences, enabling them to express and articulate their perceptions of the world around them. Built upon Seymour Papert's constructionism principles, learners engage in creating mental models to comprehend their environment. Furthermore, constructionism posits that optimal learning occurs when individuals actively construct tangible objects in the real worl

Khoj Shaala serves as a community-integrated laboratory designed for students in grades 6-10. This initiative is dedicated to conducting research-based projects aligned with their curriculum, employing a theoretical framework. Subsequently, students leverage their existing knowledge to address grassroots challenges by creating prototypes for potential solutions. These prototypes are tested within their rural or urban environments. The program's overarching curriculum places a strong emphasis on fostering the scientific mindset among students. It calls upon adults and community members to act as facilitators, sharing their traditional knowledge, encouraging children to engage, explore, and ultimately feel empowered through the completion of their projects.

S-Shakt is a platform dedicated to conducting teacher training sessions and workshops focused on enhancing the capacities of primary and middle school educators.
These training sessions encompass various aspects, catering to diverse teaching methodologies. The aim is to enhance teachers' storytelling abilities. It assists them in honing their problem-solving skills. It also guides teachers in integrating elements of puppetry and art into their teaching practices, alongside fostering their scientific acumen.
Throughout the 3-day workshop, it covers several key themes:
• Cultivating a nurturing classroom environment
• Effective classroom organization for optimal learning
• Nurturing students' critical thinking skills
• Engaging and practical math and science tasks utilizing online tools
• Bridging connections through online and offline teaching modes
• Exploring language comprehension through storytelling and thematic analysis

Following the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh State Government in 2018-19, Swatantra Talim initiated operations in five primary government schools and one upper primary school within the Lucknow district.
Presently, the organization aims to extend its reach to the youth demographic (ages 14 and above) by establishing a design studio as part of phase 1, followed by a design campus in phase 2. The initiative is aligned with Article 51-A of the Indian Constitution, which underscores the importance of:
• Valuing and conserving the rich heritage of our diverse culture.
• Cultivating scientific thinking, humanism, and a spirit of curiosity and reform.

The Swa-Ekta project intends to help the children discover their abilities and give them as much control as possible to pursue their chosen dreams. Each child is considered a unique individual within the Swa-Ekta project and an environment of collective learning is made available to them through interaction with the community at large and helping them become responsible citizens. Through the Pen-Pal campaign the general public are encouraged to exchange written letters with the children and a healthy written communication network is created.