As we grow old the aspirations of becoming doctors, teachers and do good to bring a change fades away for some unknown reasons. We see people pass us by and we aren’t moved to help them.
Somewhere along the line we could not help ourselves to fight against the odds to fulfill the careers and aspirations we dreamt of. Some of the biggest challenges are faced due to the fallback in the education systems we come from. The education sector does have certain problems that are existing from long time but also it is one of the most accessible sectors. Many education social enterprises have been doing phenomenal work to help raise the bar of the community.
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”- Bill Drayton, Founder, Ashoka Changemakers.
International social entrepreneur network Ashoka’s chapter in India, Ashoka India, identifies and selects social entrepreneurs for a Fellowship every year. Ashoka India helps these social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to social problems. Some of the education focused social enterprises under Ashoka India fellowship are mentioned below with a dig in the work that is being done by these enterprises.
LeapForWord is working for that sector who cannot afford quality education; schooling in India can be a nightmare, especially because of the lack of teaching in English. To help students in rural India learn English and unlock their potential, Pranil Naik has designed a unique, plug-and-play model which democratizes teaching and learning of English. From curriculum and delivery mechanism to after school classes, Naik has created an easy atmosphere for learning. Their English literacy program is changing the way students are learning. All their content is digitized and delivered through Micro SD data cards which play even on low-end mobile phones. Check more about the program.
Adhyayan believes that one of the fundamental problems with the public education system is accountability of teachers and administrators. School-audits are conducted but not always effective. Kavita Anand is fundamentally transforming the way school audits take place to become a powerful tool in the hands of every school. By placing the process of audits in the hands of ‘insiders’ in schools, like parents, staff and students, she is shifting it from a process of scrutiny to that of self-evaluation and reflection. After the review process an action plan is created to chart the course of improvement of each school. Check their case studies here.
There are a lot many such organizations that are working for the welfare of those struggling with their fundamental right to education. Other than these, there are some platforms that are trying to bring about a change in the accessibility to the education by the means of using technology. Platforms like eBasta have also helped the lower income communities to get access to the quality educational resources. Other notable players are Hippocampus, Experifun and the Teach for India Foundation. They also have contributed in making quality education a reality for those who dream of it.
Other examples and tips to consider before starting a social enterprise in education continued on the next page…
