253 M adolescents in India cross threshold from childhood into livelihood, only 1/3rd of them have required qualification (DISE 2014-15). Equipping them with critical life skills in addition to academics is essential for them to thrive, respond to 21st century need. Looking at the scale, designing a sustainable program that leverages Govt system is crucial.
1. Signing of MoU between MB & State Govt’s relevant depts
2. Contextualization of in-house developed life skills curriculum in alignment with the state’s needs. This is done in consultation with state education dept & representatives from schoolteachers, District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) & Block, Cluster Resource Centres (BRCs, CRCs)
3. Identification of intervention schools, Master Trainers from within DIETs, BRCs & CRCs is done
4. ToTs are conducted for identified representatives
5. Master Trainers in turn train identified schoolteachers (usually 2 per school) to build their capacities to deliver life skills education sessions to adolescents in school.
6. Principals, state, district, block & village level officials are oriented, and a joint monitoring mechanism is developed, to be integrated in the government’s existing monitoring mechanism
7. Technology is core either using Govt existing system or creating a technology based joint monitoring system
In the past 3 years, MB has been able to partner with two state governments in India – Maharashtra and Mizoram, enabling us to reach out to nearly 100,000 adolescents. In these two states we had started with district level interventions. Realising the potential of the program and seeing visible results in the adolescents and teachers, we could take the innovation to other states. During 2022-23, MB is able to scale up program to cover entire state of Mizoram to impact 50,000 adolescents. We have formed partnerships with six more state governments – Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Madhya Pradesh. Over the next 3 to 4 years, MB will impact 2,500,000 adolescents through government schoolteachers in these states by building capacities of nearly 40,000 to 50,000 teachers.
It is crucial to gauge Govt’s willingness towards life skills education-based initiatives. Scoping is done to understand the modalities that has a high a probability of being accepted by the Govt. MB acts as technical partner to build program design in a collaborative approach. One can connect with us to understand the program, benefit from our learning by writing to Dhanashri, CoP/ Gitanjal, Dir
