Shikshantar

Shikshantar project was implemented from March to June 2021. It has been initiated to ensure continuity of education for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project team provided high-quality remedial education to children, particularly girls enrolled in grades VI to X in Delhi, Bihar, and Odisha. The initiative is aligning with the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign of the Government of India including SDG 4.1 that aims to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

55 Youth Fellows were trained to provide remedial classes, track assessment through online MIS, and apply multiple strategies to support children in continuing their education. These Youth Fellows are aspiring young volunteers from the local community and serve as part-time teachers. They recorded teaching sessions on topics related to Mathematics, Science, and English and shared them with children over digital platforms.

Through this innovative low-cost digital-enabled pedagogy, children’s interest in education is raised, resulting in improved learning outcomes in core foundational concepts in science, mathematics and also helping in acquiring socio-emotional skills.

Each Youth Fellow supported around 100 children from marginalized communities. The majority of these children are girls from remote rural and tribal villages of Bihar and Odisha and deprived pockets of urban Delhi.

In addition, Plan India also provided a scholarship of INR 4,000 to children enrolled in schools in 4 states – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, and Jharkhand to help cover the costs related to their education during the COVID-19. The families were encouraged to utilize the scholarship amount for buying books, stationery, bags, school uniform for the children, and also for any additional learning support the child may need.

Key Achievements:

Polygon 3 15248 children including 11,194 girls provided with education scholarship

Polygon 3 13,930 Secondary school girls provided with NCERT text books, note books and stationery

Polygon 3 5,840 Children including 3,161 girls supported in overcoming learning gaps

Polygon 3 55 Youth Fellows trained in providing online and face-to-face remedial education through digital tools

Polygon 3 10% Average improvement recorded in the learning outcomes of children in Mathematics, Science and English in three months. This is notable, keeping the Covid-19 disruption and socio-economic profile of the children.