QUEEN’S ROAD: The Dream School Foundation (DSF) is a non-governmental organisation that aims at making the Right to Education (RTE) a reality for disadvantaged children. With approximately 28 schools under its wing, the DSF helps students to improve their learning levels and provides them with better infrastructure and other facilities.
Unlike other NGOs, the DSF is closely linked with all its stakeholders. It is the centre that connects volunteers to schools, to the children and their parents. The organisation caters to all the needs of its students, looking at each child closely.
“Every child being added to the programme matters as it is not just the addition of numbers. There are various programmes in Bengaluru where support is provided to hundreds of children. It may not be difficult for us to expand, but then the intensity of our programme and the attention we give each child will be lost. We look at every child in his or her individual capacity and that is what has kept us to the limit that we are at today,” says one of the directors, Maitreyee Kumar.
It is important that the civil society gets involved in the realm of public education. “Wherever the middle-class has walked out of a system, it has suffered. People have stopped raising their voice and those who are vulnerable are left with no choice," says director Sabu Joseph.
“We don’t do anything without teachers being a part of it. We form something called the School Support Team of which volunteers, mentors and the neighborhood privilege committee and the parent community are all a part and they plan with us to create a ‘Dream School’,” he added.
There are three programmes run by DSF; The School Programme, The Head Start and The 10 Plus Programme. The School Programme is dedicated to the cause of primary education. The Head Start, on the other hand, provides the students with a choice to pick a school.
Even students from government schools, who wish to continue their education to higher classes are given the right to choose a school .
Giving them the right to choose and ensuring that they are successful in the school of their choice, is DSF’s goal.
“We support them till they get their first degree or diploma and can stand on their own feet and can decide what they want to do next,” Maitreyee says.
The mentoring which comes under The 10 Plus Programme, is an opening for citizens to get involved.
Each 10 Plus student can get involved with a citizen, who would support with advice, encouragement and more.
The organisation provides a platform for everyone to participate and make a difference. This is a movement fuelled by volunteers and if you want to join them, check out the Facebook page Dream School Foundation for more details.