How often have we heard the term ‘rote learning’? And how often do we hear that students can’t read or write even though schools claim they do their jobs.
According to the 2017 Annual School Education Report (AESR), one in two Indian students is unable to read books meant for three classes below. The report said that the proportion of children in Class V who can read a Class II level textbook declined from 48.1% in 2014 to 47.8% in 2016. That is truly dismal.
But the good news is organisations like the Indian Development Foundation (IDF) believe in taking education outside the confines of a syllabus, far from the concept of rote learning.
Under its Student Leadership Programme (SLP), IDF conducts classes in Mumbai schools for 8th and 9th grade students which has involved mentors from every walk of life.
Till date IDF has trained 50000 students pan India. In Mumbai, we have touched 10,000 lives.
IDF realised that the syllabus followed in schools leave important activities that are required for the overall development of children. Instead, the classes under the SLP focus on these out of the box ideas. Some highlights of the programme include public speaking, anger management, personal hygiene and career counselling workshops.
Many students under this programme have gained the confidence and strength that they were not getting from regular classes.
Now the IDF plans to publish a leadership book for the students to help them learn and document their learning in the classrooms. They also need LCD projectors to show audiovisuals to make the programme more effective. But they need your help to touch these lives. Your contribution would go a long way in helping these students become great citizens of this country!