HYDERABAD: A good quality education for their children is every parent’s dream. They see it as a ladder to a better life. And, not very long ago, government schools in India helped them get there. However, a lot has changed in recent years. In the last two years alone, more than six and a half million children have moved out of government schools owing to the poor quality of education.
And countless small private schools promising ‘English medium’ education have mushroomed all over the country. Ironically enough, research shows that on average, private schools deliver only as well as government schools.
To change this scenario, software company Pegasystems has launched ‘The Literacy Program’ in 2014 aiming to focus on literacy and life skills in education. This nation-wide movement works in collaboration with local communities, organisations and governments to develop literacy skills and the habit of reading among primary schoolchildren.
As part of the programme, volunteers teach modules that are specially developed to improve the speaking, reading, writing and listening skills of the students. Each volunteer commits to one academic year’s classroom teaching, and works with each student for three years (Class III to Class V) which are the child’s formative years.