Education
Every child has the fundamental right to education, yet not many have the access to it. 35% of the world’s illiterate population resides in India. Much remains to be done in favor of a child-friendly environment that nurtures education.
In India, poor quality of education is rampant and it leads to poor learning outcomes. When children are pushed out of schools, being uneducated leaves them open to child labour, abuse and violence.
AID India’s initiative ‘Eureka Child’, focuses primarily on education quality improvement programs in Tamil Nadu.
Eureka Village Centers - Pioneers of Quality Education
Eureka village centers were established in 2010 by Aid India as part of the vision to solve the learning quality problem. Since then, they have been striving to bring equal opportunity and quality education to rural areas that lack them. Eureka village centers their focus on learning outcomes, continually measuring progress, and most importantly, ensuring accountability by involving parents in their children’s education.
Today, Eureka village centers are operating in 647 villages of Tamil Nadu. Daily evening classes are conducted for rural children between classes 1 and 8 in every village throughout the year. There is a wide variety of subjects that teachers and tutors focus on such as Mathematics, English and Tamil skills, which varies from village to village to suit the need of the students.
The learning modules are multi-dimensional, where interactive events and projects are included. Children are often motivated to go beyond a classroom. Weekends are filled with learning events where children put up role-plays in English and demonstrate science experiments. Thus, the Eureka program does more than just teach them lessons. Children learn life skills that boost their confidence and sense of self.
The Vision of Eureka Schools
Eureka Nursery and Primary Schools were founded in 2006 by Aid India and Banca Sella. The vision of providing higher quality affordable education to rural children stands as its center of focus. These two schools are located at Parameswaramangalam and Venkatrayanpettai villages of Kanchipuram and Tiruvannamalai district respectively.
The Eureka Schools generally cater to first-generation learners residing in villages around the schools. Now, the community learning programs attract more than 300 children who enroll every year for a holistic educational experience.
A Haven of Learning for Students and Teachers
At the Eureka School, teachers and children both have the opportunity for learning. It is a child-centric environment, with dedicated teachers who ensure the best for every child. Teachers always ensure that every 'Eureka Child' learns by understanding concepts and interactive activities, rather than turning to rote memorization. Help is always available to children who need extra support.
Each child's unique talents and achievements are showcased in events throughout the year. In addition to their schooling, coaching in sports like juggling and football is available to children. Eureka Schools help to build and nurture dreams, providing children with a strong foundation to achieve them.
Eureka Training Programs for the Local Youth
AID India works as a resource group for several grassroots organizations and schools all over the State. The main objective with Eureka is to analyze the work of several organizations and schools and implement the best programs for better learning outcomes.
With a focus on basic skills, Aid India has over scouted and hired 1000 schoolteachers and village tutors from the different communities. They are trained in innovative techniques, learning methodologies and classroom management to ensure better results for children.
At the end of each term, the training team visits the school or after-school center to assess the children. An awards ceremony is held every term with certificates handed out for children and tutors who have achieved their goals.
For those who require extra help, plans are discussed with the teachers for remedial action to help the children who have not yet acquired the targeted skills.
Limitless Learning with the Walk & Talk Program
The Eureka Walk & Talk Program is an after-school program implemented in villages to encourage learning beyond the classroom. The goal of the program is to motivate people to practice speaking English words, sentences and respond to common conversation.
As part of the daily English Walk & Talk sessions, children are encouraged not only to learn English in the class but also to go around the village and teach their family members and elders how to ask and answer simple questions in English. The Walk & Talk program also encourages children to do mental arithmetic operations for addition, subtraction and multiplication.
This activity aims to improve children’s fluency in English, polish their conversational skills, and improve their skills in mental math. This activity goes beyond traditional teaching methods so that they acquire necessary life skills like confidence and the belief that they can read and speak in English and work out math mentally. The program currently impacts close to 50,000 children in 1000 villages of Tamil Nadu.
Finally, learning goals that are fixed for each month are tracked. Children who don’t acquire the month’s skills are given special attention and help by teachers and tutors to try again next time.
Eureka Quality Improvement Program
Eureka Education Quality Improvement Program focuses on strengthening select critical skills set by NCERT/SCERT for that particular grade level. There are certain expectations set every year that need to be met.
It aims to create an effective and sustainable model through deeper engagement with the children. The programs are conducted simultaneously as in-school programs in Government schools and after-school intervention programs at the village centers.
After-school centers are important to invite more parent and community participation to motivate children. This is extremely helpful for improving the quality of education, especially for those who are lagging in critical skills.
Eureka Tab Labs - An Enabler of Education
Since the advent of Covid-19, there has been a steady shift in demand towards technology-enabled classes, which Eureka has succeeded to keep up with.
Using technology, Eureka brings education online with video lessons and mobile apps that are provided in these 'Tab Labs'. Here, technology is combined with well-designed, self-learning content, the potential to create an impact on the quality of education expands exponentially.
Children can learn from concept videos, practice on apps that cater to their level, and take assessments on tabs that help them determine how well they have progressed. Volunteers from Chennai, and the US participate in online live virtual classes in these centers, where they teach children in remote areas without having to travel there. Tab Labs have opened up multiple avenues to gain knowledge through the use of technology that brings all the world's resources to the device.
AID India, in partnership with content providers, has been piloting Eureka Tab Labs. They have redefined modern learning by bringing access to good quality education for children in villages.
Get Involved With Us
In this time more than ever, people need support to continue pursuing their studies. Covid 19 has caused a disruption of education that affects rural children in unfavorable ways. They are unable to cope with the lack of adequate digital support.
Help AID India strengthen their educational quality improvement Ed Tech Tab initiatives. Donations are the determining factor of how many students get the opportunity to learn through the Tab Labs program.
Show us your support by donating now. Unlock a child’s potential for a bright future with every Tab that is sponsored.
Please contact us at +91-44-28602308 or email info@aidindia.in for any queries you may have.