Facilitating Change

Learning and growing are universal actions. But how and why we choose to learn depends largely on local factors : support from the family, access to educational institutions, socio-economic status and individual needs.

There are a consistent set of challenges that resource deficient schools seem to face. Sometimes these challenges need to be tackled by the government — especially for challenges that are a result of policies, sometimes educators at the school level are best suited to drive change with the help of learners themselves; and sometimes the challenges need to be taken up with the community at large... which is when long-lasting impact is created.

Since 2012, Quest Alliance’s Anandshala Program has worked on improving implementation of government policies towards quality learning in Indian schools. Anandshala works at turning schools into learning spaces full of joy, and ensures that every child stays, engages and learns in those schools. It builds stronger relationships between students, teachers and parents. With effective use of data, it enables teachers to understand and support learners comprehensively. Anandshala enhances students’ language abilities, and encourages ownership towards schooling by creating spaces for free and creative expression. On a larger level, through advocacy and capacity building, it attempts to foster a responsive education system.

When the QUEST team set out to explore the learning ecosystem in Kalaunjar, one of Bihar’s most backward villages that, until recently, was relatively closed to the outside world. Even today, three years into the learning interventions, many people including government officials still struggle to access the village to contribute to its educational institutions and community.

QUEST Alliance conducted a situational analysis in 2015, that included a detailed situational analysis, discussions with the Government and Panchayat members and stakeholder consultative workshops. Based on the needs assessment, 8 components were identified for the project which largely guided different activities at Kalaunjar.

Building on the work done under the Anandshala program in Samastipur since 2010, QUEST Alliance decided to structure the interventions at Kalaunjar not only enhance the quality of the primary school in focus, but strive towards strengthening the education system for the entire village. Their focus was to impact the vicious circle of “lack of quality education in Government schools resulting to lesser job opportunities for the rural youth”

In the long run, they wanted this project to contribute to our larger goal of improving education and vocational training at the district level. And strive towards having Samastipur as a model district as far as education and learning systems are concerned.