Urban Slums Classrooms

Created On March 11, 2024 Last Modified On April 29, 2024

Context and Issue

Despite notable advancements in primary school accessibility across India, numerous children remain excluded from formal education systems. This problem extends beyond remote rural areas, encompassing densely populated urban centers where overcrowded schools struggle to accommodate all students. Urban slums, in particular, suffer from a dual challenge of insufficient educational infrastructure and substandard teaching quality, resulting in alarming dropout rates, with approximately 25% leaving before completing grade five and nearly 40% before reaching the eighth grade.

Solution

To tackle the pervasive issue of out-of-school children (OOSC) in India, an initiative has been launched to enroll fresh cohorts of students in single-classroom elementary schools across seven cities in Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Over a span of four years, the project aims to enroll 69,200 OOSC by establishing over 2,000 new classes and refurbishing close to 500 existing ones. By directly enrolling OOSC into first grade, the project addresses the immediate challenge of out-of-school children and anticipates improvements in overall student learning outcomes.

Impact

Through its initiatives, such as enrolling 86,377 out-of-school children in Gyan Shala classes and improving learning outcomes, the project has directly enhanced access to quality education for marginalized children. Additionally, the program has contributed to the professional development of 3,844 teachers, 252 supervisors, and 82 facilitators, fostering a more skilled workforce in education. The establishment and refurbishment of 637 existing school classes and the initiation of 2,230 new classes have expanded educational infrastructure, ensuring that more children have access to learning spaces. Moreover, the program's expansion to 9 cities demonstrates its scalability and increasing influence in addressing the issue of out-of-school children across Bihar.