Building India through quality education to underprivileged children

Every successful and developed country, without exception has educated its children and brought women into workforce. India unfortunately has not been able to do this. This has vast consequences. Educating children and bringing women into work force leads to productivity growth, helps people move into urban jobs, creates a competitive economy that can spur growth. 

Out of total 298 million school going age children in India, 37 million (12.5%) children don’t go to school (GOI, ESAG 2018). Of those who go to school, learning levels are abysmally low. 57% children in class 5 cannot read class 2 Hindilevel text and 75% cannot do simple division. Further, 30% in class 8 cannot read class 2 Hindi text book and 55% cannot do simple division (ASER Report – 2022). Low learning level leads to high dropout from schools at 6th, 9th and 11th grade level and are significantly higher for underprivileged children especially girls. Of 113 million adolescent girls in India, only 30% graduate at grade 10 and only 8.3% graduate. Almost 50% of them are married before 18. Providing quality education at primary level is single most important way forward to address above critical issues.

E&H Foundation has been addressing the critical need of India by enhancing learning levels at primary level by reaching out to vulnerable children and parents, organising and setting up remedial classes in slums and remote villages, recruiting and training teachers regularly, teaching children every day using proven pedagogy and collaborating with successful and proven models. Students study through four subject worksheets which are iterative in nature. Children are encouraged to learn and engage through activities, storytelling and songs and in joyous culture. A baseline assessment of students’ learning levels is conducted at the beginning. Students are assessed through regular oral examinations, mid-term and end-term assessments and third-party evaluations. The field supervisor works with parents to ensure that children do not drop out and come regularly to classes.

This intensive approach has resulted in improved grade appropriate learning, reducing dropouts and increased awareness amongst parents to continue children’s education and not drop them out from school. So far E and H Foundation has provided quality education to 25000 underprivileged children at primary level. Pilots are also being run to mentor middle and secondary class children to continue education through a community outreach program. 

During the year 23-24, E and H foundation aims to reach out to 5000 more children with a total budget of Rs 2 Cr. Out of total amount, this campaign aims to raise Rs 30 lakh to support the initiative for the academic year 2023-24. We aim to achieve the following impact from this project: 

1.     At least 70% of children will have more than 70% attendance 

2.     Approximately 50% of the children will be girls. 

3.     At least 70% of the children will achieve grade-appropriate learning levels. 

This project would enable education for 5000 underprivileged children who would otherwise have been out of school and deprived of access to quality primary education and will reduce the gap in learning while encouraging both parents and students to empower children’s studying and learning. Your support will help in motivating and enabling long-term learning of underprivileged children, give them confidence and a chance to realise their potential and give these children and their families a significant possibility to get out of chronic poverty and change their future and destiny.