Three years ago, the middle school at Kalaunjar was a very different place than what it is today. Once known for its academic standards, the reputation of the school had only worsened over time. With the school becoming a hotbed of social, cultural and economic differences that exist in the village, education has become political.

According to the people in the community, the problems are multifold. There is a inherent mistrust in the public education system which is further fuelled by a blatant disregard for the teachers because all of them belong to the community. The number of teachers was insufficient and the ones present had poor interpersonal relations. All teachers belonging from a particular caste yielded a lot of power and influence in the village and instilled fear in not just students but also parents.

The infrastructure was poor, the building was breaking, the classrooms were flooded in the rains. There was no boundary wall and children would end up escaping from school during the lunch break. Lack of toilets and clean drinking water further discouraged parents from sending their children.

With teachers spending most of their time in the office, classes were barely conducted leading to poor academic results. Fear of the teachers made students extremely shy and introvert.

The school today looks nothing like it was once. Once you step into the gated school walls you are greeted by a splash of colour. Bright coloured paintings adorn the school walls and instinctively bring a smile to your face.

The construction of the boundary wall, the installation of taps for drinking water and the construction of toilets have made the school a safer space. Parents encourage their children to go to school, even shifting their children from private schools to the government school for its facilities and education.

Children now have a voice and have become fearless. They speak confidently and question things, unafraid to have an opinion. The Bal Sansad and Meena Manch are active leaders of the school, leading change projects in the community and going beyond their designated duties to contribute towards the school improvement. With increased ownership of the students towards the school, they now participate in various activities and events in the school while excelling academically.

Teachers have taken the responsibility of making the school a model school in the state and were awarded the prestigious Shiksha Ratn Puraskar in 2018. With increased ownership towards the school and better communication, the teachers now work collaboratively towards different tasks.

The earlier non-existent School Management Committee (SMC) now conducts meetings regularly and responsibly performs various duties, keeping the staff in check. Parents are more connected to the school, and better informed about different activities due to the IVRS system. With more than 50% attendance at the monthly parent-teacher meetings, a large number of parents are taking responsibility towards their children’s education.

Members of the community speak about the school with a sense of pride and now want to become an active part of that change extending to contributions from the community. Installation of the library, construction of the stage are one of the many changes where the local community has played an active role.

In the three years that Quest Alliance has been in Kalaunjar, the last year has been the most promising. Rapid developments in the village and community— shaped by construction of the new building, support of the community and others—have transformed the education landscape.

Infrastructure Development

Student completion and achievement rate

Teacher Development

Building 21st century skills

Parent and community engagement

Youth Engagement