Education for underprivileged in 2021: Bridging the Digital Divide

The global transition of education to a virtual model has led to a deep Digital Divide among students in terms of access to quality online learning. The gap between the privileged and the underprivileged is undeniably evident. As detailed in my article ‘Digital Divide in Education’ published this February, problems in E-Learning are ample but the digital model of learning is bound to continue in the foreseeable future. The way onward then, is to work towards bridging this divide.

To this end, sharing some insights from our working with online education for less privileged students over the past year.

1.      Device Misuse Myths

A certain apprehension pertaining to device misuse / damage / misplacement exists in the society. Having distributed near 750 + digital devices to students at Lotus Petal, our data reflects that while some devices were slightly damaged and few were given back to the school for minor repairs, the number of devices lost or pilfered has been 0. Less than 0.5% of device has been damaged. This is indicative of the fact that theft of devices by students or families is a myth. Rather equipping the children with a device seems to instill in them a sense of duty and responsibility. Measures like good quality device cover and security software’s for remote monitoring act as deterrents and influence appropriate behavior.

2.      Full Day Internet Access

Mere device distribution to underprivileged students does not suffice. Internet access, an obvious part of online education, can be provided to students by way of full day internet access. To provide incentive, data pack recharges can be linked to students’ attendance and performance in class. At Lotus Petal, in April 2021, attendance adherence has been observed by 80% of the active 739 students. A possible long-term remedy to improve access to net services for underprivileged students is partnering up with internet service providers to subsidize data plans and make learning on digital platforms affordable. Also, zero-rating practices that allow teachers and students to utilize websites without financial cost can be evaluated. Many of our corporate partners like BA Airways, Mediatek , United Way of Delhi have been funding these access costs based on student attendance performance. 

3.      Device cost financial aid linked to outcomes

The financial aspect of learning needs to be considered as well. Not every parent can afford a digital device. A workable solution for this can be increasing awareness about low-cost access via Blended Finance options such as Impact bonds, Interest Free Loans, Blended Loans, Pay for Performance Grants etc. A typical tab costing Rs. 9000, can be paid off in 12 monthly installments of Rs.750, which can be afforded by most. This way the parents can afford to keep their children’s education going strong. Lotus Petal has collaborated with the Rang De India initiative and has assisted many underprivileged children in availing Interest Free Loans. Partners with programs of Pay for Performance Grants can be reimburse the costs to parents at regular intervals on meeting academic outcomes. This also provides dignity to the parents in the sense that they are getting the benefits based on their and their children’s efforts and it is not a dole.

4.      Bandwidth, Software and Hardware Impediments

Problems pertaining to Bandwidth and Content Comprehension by the student can be assuaged by modifying the curriculum content in a way that it may be easy to understand and attainable even in lower bandwidth. The material can be made simple and comfortably downloadable and storable for reference later as well. Overall, minimizing the digital divide would require ideas such as televising some of the course content, distribution of learning kits, creating free WI-FI spots in underserved neighborhoods, indigenous manufacturing of digital devices. Learnings from Ed-Tech failures of the past such as a dearth of knowledge repositories, a lack of personalization in learning, incomprehensible course delivery and inability to conduct assessments smoothly call for focus towards a merger of and metamorphosis in software and hardware development. There is a need for establishing workable partnerships between all information and communication technology stakeholders and improving our digital literacy capacities in the short and long run. With this we may bring a meaningful change in the e-learning education space.

5.      Pedagogy

The pedagogy of classroom teaching cannot be duplicated in the online mode. Here the teaching, which is more lecture based, effective high-quality content on concepts which can be referenced later, encouragement to children to indulge in self-study and access to doubt clearance sessions on one-on-one basis or in smaller groups has been more effective. In this direction, Lotus Petal has partnered with BYJU’s in their program of Education for All in which they provide free content to underprivileged children.

While many steps have been taken in the right direction, much more thought, innovation and action need to go into functionalizing the sphere of E-Learning. It is no longer an option but a necessity. This is an issue which requires the commitment of multiple stakeholders – Government, Non-Profits, Corporate CSR funding, Social Financial Institutions, Content Providers etc. to work in a collaborative manner.

Do contribute your valuable inputs on possible solutions in the comments and let us all work towards ensuring quality education for each and every child of the nation including those living in underprivileged communities. 

Top 7 things to know before starting a non-profit

                      1.  Clear cause and objective:

Most imperative is a clarity about the cause one wishes to work for. A clear vision, derived from what one is passionate about. A non-commercial; charitable or philanthropic endeavour. Registering a non-for-profit organization as either a Trust, Society or Section 8 company then becomes the basic next step. Eventually, clarity brings coherence in the focus of effort expended and actions to take/not to take as the organization grows successfully. If the purpose is clear, then every obstacle can be overcome.

 

2.  Dependable associates and allies:

Selection of the people one collaborates with for the founding structure of the organization is critical. These people should be unwavering allies, willing to be open to scrutiny by tax authorities, government departments like MHA, Intelligence Bureau and sharing personal as well as financial details to multiple stakeholders. At the same time, they should be able to advise in a critical yet supportive manner and spare time to attend meetings. It needs a commitment for at a minimum of 4 -5 years (required to attain all essential registrations and approvals). Ideally, not immediate family members or politically engaged persons (PEPs) and preferably living in close range, to ease the process of verifications.

3.  A concrete plan of activities & finances:

A definitive plan, initially, is vital. The reality is that people contribute to impactful endeavours. While initial resources for one’s efforts will come from self, friends and family, the public will contribute to activities that have a tangible and visible impact. Also, tax exemption approvals and 2-3 years track record are needed to get substantial donations from individuals and corporates. So, having a structure of activities that score both on immediate impact and limited financials is important to gain primary momentum. 

4.  Documentation:

Commencing from the first activity of the non-profit, methodical documentation should be maintained. Date stamped pictures, cataloguing of all reports, having all expenditures plans discussed and approved by the board, expenses vouchers/invoices with payment proofs signed, receipt issuance within 24 hours for all donations assures the public of the longevity of the organization’s work. A current updated website, social media posts and articles are a source of online documentation as well.

5.  Financial & Compliances know-how:

A basic knowledge of finances and easy to learn accounting is a must. Categories of funding, types of accounts to be opened and operated, basic compliances, proof of monetary transactions, financial records, Income Tax applicability etc. should be understood. Do not get mislead by the “imposter syndrome” as there are many experts in this field. Such fundamental concepts are straightforward and easy to comprehend. This helps prevent any subsequent complications as organisation grows.

6.  Registered Address /Place of operation

Setting up a suitable address for commercial activities, preferably one that remains unchanged, is crucial. As rental properties require many tangled compliances, starting the work at any permanent address, even a friend’s is more desirable. A small office with a legitimate board of the organization’s name must be established. This is helpful with getting your bank account opening, payment gateway etc.

7. Prepare for foreign donations

One should surely aspire towards gaining foreign contributions. When collected legitimately and utilized with transparency, foreign contributions can greatly assist a non-profit as foreign donors are easier to convince and many favours supporting smaller charities. This is exhibited by the fact that over the last 4 years, Rs. 51,000 Cr have been received by non-profits in the country as foreign donation. However, it takes a minimum 3 completed years with over Rs. 15 lac spend in charitable activities plus many other requirements to be eligible. Preparing for it from Day 1 makes it a lot easier.

 There will be obstacles that are not anticipated; however, one is able to overcome all obstacles due to the commitment one has to the cause and purpose of why one started. No obstacle is bigger than the purpose has guided us in this journey. 

                     

 

 

 

5 trends in the urban poor's response to the pandemic have seeds of solution for the future.

With almost 17% of the urban population across India living in informal settlements, the question arises, has the pandemic impacted us all the same way? What are the particular trends and characteristics that have been seen in the urban poor over the last year and how has the second wave been different?
We decided to seek answers to these questions with a survey of the urban poor from amongst our beneficary base of over 2000 families. Some of the findings reveal interesting trends which must be seriously explored as they hold the key to solving many age old sticky problems.
1.      Education: schooling in the time of Covid19 for underprivileged children. In an endeavor to keep learning ongoing, across the nation, the attempt has been to transition rapidly to online education. Where this has happened successfully, it has led to a long overdue transformation of day to day learning. It has resulted in enhanced learning outcomes for the students by amalgamating learning modules, pupils and technology. Physical location of the tutor and tutee has become inconsequential. Equipped with a simple operative device, given the incentive of data pack recharge on attendance basis and provided appropriate instruction regarding the workings of the device, any child can access quality education across the nation. Be it in a metropolitan, or in the village. This truly is the best way forward to a knowledgeable and empowered India.
Digitisation of education and its delivery through hybrid models which incorporate online modes must be explored in all seriousness as solution of providing access to quality education in rural India.
2.      Daily nutrition: the criticality of access. Per latest reports, the pandemic has left the urban poor in India more bereft of nutrition than their rural counterparts. A large section of rural residents could cushion the blow of pandemic-driven economic disruption due to food grain via the public distribution system (PDS). The urban poor’s access to such ration, however has been minimal. Having provided the parents of our students with dry ration boxes on a monthly basis with the help of our donors, we were able to gauge the difference this basic food security has made to their day to day lives. A majority of destitute families lost their primary source of income due to the lockdown. This has led to tremendous emotional and financial stress. In the words of Naushad Alam, father of Aftab, a student of Pratishthan Learning Centre at Lotus Petal “The boxes of rice, grains, oil, food ingredients helped us out a lot. They prevented our family from going to bed hungry, which we would have had to do as I lost my job as a cook and had suffered a severe hand injury in the early days of the lockdown and was unable to find alternate employment.” Lack of income due to the lockdown may result in further dependency on food from government or charitable organizations and if this is not taken seriously, this may result in a bigger outbreak of multiple diseases caused due to nutritional deficiency.
The provision of supplementary nutrition in the form of dry ration provides a dignified source of food to those from low income families who otherwise would hesitate to stand in the queue for cooked meals boxes.
3.      Migration: an unfortunate reality. In wave one of the pandemic, migrant workers, who are anchors of the underserved population, started returning to their native villages due to fear, anxiety and hunger. Most of them were daily wagers and did not maintain a financial buffer for such an unprecedented, uncertain situation. The unorganised sector in India accounts for over 90% of the workforce and the majority of them are inter / intra state migrants. As normalcy returned towards the mid of last year, reverse migration commenced. There seemed to be hope that once things get back to relative balance in cities, they would be able to find employment again in these low paying yet foundational jobs in society. As the second wave rages, the migrant informal workforce, after having faced a year of deprivation and uncertainty, is better prepared and are depicting relatively well thought out exit strategies from cities. In ceratin cases migration has happened to areas which are not under lockdown. A wage support plan for the vulnerable may be a possible solution to this mass exodus to and from cities.
This may involve mapping their skills in a verifed database which can help them have a wide market access opportunties.
4.      Financial vulnerabilities: Inability to avail relief. Informal sector workers have suffered the maximum financial brunt of the pandemic. Job loss and monetary insecurity has been a harsh actuality for most in the marginalised communities. This has catalysed a new pattern of acquiring help. With bottlenecks in disbursements of loans and financial support for poor urban dwellers, a majority of the underserved are turning to family and friends for help in the form of informal loans at high interest rates. Want of financial assistance from government and employers, insufficient awareness about low interest loans and absence of necessary documents to access these benefits have all compelled the vulnerable to turn to their kin in other cities/back in the village. A prolonged effort to raise awareness and reduce pointless red tape in these moments of crisis is needed.
This is an area already being tapped by multiple financial entities but there is a long way to go in terms of access to urban migrant workforce.
5.      Healthcare: vastly different for those on the fringes of society. High population density is the truth of life in urban slums. Least prepared for the pandemic due to a dearth of basic facilities such as clean water, drainage, waste collection, and secure and adequate housing these areas are potent grounds for the spread of communicable diseases. It has been observed that in the second wave, the marginalised communities are showing better awareness about communicable diseases, the importance of handwashing and maintaining social distancing. How practical these practices are in such close quarters, is of course, an area of discussion but learning from what has transpired in the nation this time around, it is critical to mainstream health in the urban development agenda in the future. Formation of slum emergency planning committees, stopping evictions, equipping PHCs with proper infrastructure, empowering community health workers, plans for mobility and healthcare access are some concrete steps that need to be worked upon.
Assisted Telemedicine is one of the experiments which has seen a steady adoption by the urban poor to access healthcare. Awareness and adoption of asssited telemedicine centres can also provide quality and timely medical access in semi -urban and rual areas as well.
At the Lotus Petal Foundation, our focus has been Education - two successful online schools for our underprivileged students; Nutrition - dry ration and cooked meal box distribution to the impoverished and Healthcare - medical access through our telemedicine center. We have also intiated programs like Bluekhoj.com to provide market access for informal job seekers and tied up with social sector NBFCs to provide interest free loans.
This pandemic has raised a pressing need of united reform towards holistic inclusiveness to develop a more responsive framework for mitigating urban inequality in future.

5 trends in the urban poor's response to the pandemic have seeds of solution for the future.

 

With almost 17% of the urban population across India living in informal settlements, the question arises, has the pandemic impacted us all the same way? What are the particular trends and characteristics that have been seen in the urban poor over the last year and how has the second wave been different?

We decided to seek answers to these questions with a survey of the urban poor from amongst our beneficary base of over 2000 families. Some of the findings reveal interesting trends which must be seriously explored as they hold the key to solving many age old sticky problems.

1.      Education: schooling in the time of Covid19 for underprivileged children. In an endeavor to keep learning ongoing, across the nation, the attempt has been to transition rapidly to online education. Where this has happened successfully, it has led to a long overdue transformation of day to day learning. It has resulted in enhanced learning outcomes for the students by amalgamating learning modules, pupils and technology. Physical location of the tutor and tutee has become inconsequential. Equipped with a simple operative device, given the incentive of data pack recharge on attendance basis and provided appropriate instruction regarding the workings of the device, any child can access quality education across the nation. Be it in a metropolitan, or in the village. This truly is the best way forward to a knowledgeable and empowered India.

Digitisation of education and its delivery through hybrid models which incorporate online modes must be explored in all seriousness as solution of providing access to quality education in rural India.

2.      Daily nutrition: the criticality of access. Per latest reports, the pandemic has left the urban poor in India more bereft of nutrition than their rural counterparts. A large section of rural residents could cushion the blow of pandemic-driven economic disruption due to food grain via the public distribution system (PDS). The urban poor’s access to such ration, however has been minimal. Having provided the parents of our students with dry ration boxes on a monthly basis with the help of our donors, we were able to gauge the difference this basic food security has made to their day to day lives. A majority of destitute families lost their primary source of income due to the lockdown. This has led to tremendous emotional and financial stress. In the words of Naushad Alam, father of Aftab, a student of Pratishthan Learning Centre at Lotus Petal “The boxes of rice, grains, oil, food ingredients helped us out a lot. They prevented our family from going to bed hungry, which we would have had to do as I lost my job as a cook and had suffered a severe hand injury in the early days of the lockdown and was unable to find alternate employment.” Lack of income due to the lockdown may result in further dependency on food from government or charitable organizations and if this is not taken seriously, this may result in a bigger outbreak of multiple diseases caused due to nutritional deficiency.

The provision of supplementary nutrition in the form of dry ration provides a dignified source of food to those from low income families who otherwise would hesitate to stand in the queue for cooked meals boxes.

3.      Migration: an unfortunate reality. In wave one of the pandemic, migrant workers, who are anchors of the underserved population, started returning to their native villages due to fear, anxiety and hunger. Most of them were daily wagers and did not maintain a financial buffer for such an unprecedented, uncertain situation. The unorganised sector in India accounts for over 90% of the workforce and the majority of them are inter / intra state migrants. As normalcy returned towards the mid of last year, reverse migration commenced. There seemed to be hope that once things get back to relative balance in cities, they would be able to find employment again in these low paying yet foundational jobs in society. As the second wave rages, the migrant informal workforce, after having faced a year of deprivation and uncertainty, is better prepared and are depicting relatively well thought out exit strategies from cities. In ceratin cases migration has happened to areas which are not under lockdown. A wage support plan for the vulnerable may be a possible solution to this mass exodus to and from cities.

This may involve mapping their skills in a verifed database which can help them have a wide market access opportunties.

4.      Financial vulnerabilities: Inability to avail relief. Informal sector workers have suffered the maximum financial brunt of the pandemic. Job loss and monetary insecurity has been a harsh actuality for most in the marginalised communities. This has catalysed a new pattern of acquiring help. With bottlenecks in disbursements of loans and financial support for poor urban dwellers, a majority of the underserved are turning to family and friends for help in the form of informal loans at high interest rates. Want of financial assistance from government and employers, insufficient awareness about low interest loans and absence of necessary documents to access these benefits have all compelled the vulnerable to turn to their kin in other cities/back in the village. A prolonged effort to raise awareness and reduce pointless red tape in these moments of crisis is needed.

This is an area already being tapped by multiple financial entities but there is a long way to go in terms of access to urban migrant workforce.

5.      Healthcare: vastly different for those on the fringes of society. High population density is the truth of life in urban slums. Least prepared for the pandemic due to a dearth of basic facilities such as clean water, drainage, waste collection, and secure and adequate housing these areas are potent grounds for the spread of communicable diseases. It has been observed that in the second wave, the marginalised communities are showing better awareness about communicable diseases, the importance of handwashing and maintaining social distancing. How practical these practices are in such close quarters, is of course, an area of discussion but learning from what has transpired in the nation this time around, it is critical to mainstream health in the urban development agenda in the future. Formation of slum emergency planning committees, stopping evictions, equipping PHCs with proper infrastructure, empowering community health workers, plans for mobility and healthcare access are some concrete steps that need to be worked upon.

Assisted Telemedicine is one of the experiments which has seen a steady adoption by the urban poor to access healthcare. Awareness and adoption of asssited telemedicine centres can also provide quality and timely medical access in semi -urban and rual areas as well.

At the Lotus Petal Foundation, our focus has been Education - two successful online schools for our underprivileged students; Nutrition - dry ration and cooked meal box distribution to the impoverished and Healthcare - medical access through our telemedicine center. We have also intiated programs like Bulekhoj.com to provide market access for informal job seekers and tied up with social sector NBFCs to provide interest free loans.

This pandemic has raised a pressing need of united reform towards holistic inclusiveness to develop a more responsive framework for mitigating urban inequality in future.

Hybrid Schooling : The emerging reality of school education

 

A year has elapsed since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, wreaking havoc and bringing with it unprecedented disruptions. The education industry was significantly impacted due to closures of institutes, leading to an increase in the school drop-out rate from 4% to 5.5% in the last year, with over 6 million students dropping out.

Hitherto resistant to change, the education industry had to evolve overnight. Now, with Covid threatening a resurgence and school closures announced in many states, what we need is a long-term sustainable approach to education, or face the long-term implications of children not receiving adequate quality education. 

The way forward is to move into a modus operandi that combines both online and offline approaches to education i.e. Hybrid Learning. A coalescence between both and a malleable model that grants the freedom to switch between the two is essential.

With hybrid learning properly implemented, limited resources can be dispensed across more students, online content can be better leveraged, workspace can be utilized in a more flexible manner, costs can be reduced and the whole process can be made more inclusive. Difficulties found across a majority of schools in India such as dearth of infrastructure and paucity of qualified teachers can be assuaged.

In conjunction, all these factors will ensure the most critical aspect of the endeavor – the continuity of the child in the education process. 

The benefits of quick acclimatization, prior investments in technology and keeping the beneficiaries’ interest central have been experienced first-hand at Lotus Petal, where the year commenced with 644 students enrolled in the educational programs. Today, 612 (~95%) students have been successfully retained and have received uninterrupted learning. This has been encouraging for many other children too, who now seek admission at Lotus Petal.

           

 Hybrid schooling infrastructure has been operationalized. Inspite of less than  50% occupancy in every classroom due to social distancing, we have all students attending classes every day.

The reality of education has shifted from the child being physically present in school each day to holistic hybrid learning. This seems the way forward. 

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defining curriculum without textbooks.

 

Theater, drama, theatrics often mistaken as a distraction from real life or considered as mere entertainment, has the power of expressing and accepting reality in the most potent way.

The origin of theater in ancient Greece was a way of expression by individuals, where all forms of art were used. Singing, dancing, body movements and acrobats were tailored together to explain rights, law, deep emotions, social issues, religion and rituals in an easy-to-understand way; yet the impact on the viewer was long-lasting. To be able to do this- the artist had to be aware, rehearse and feel the emotion at the deepest level. There were no books to learn or explain, yet the learning was realized at the inmost level, making changes to the artist's own personality and also created ripples across the onlookers.

Such is the power of theater.

The form has evolved in various dimensions and in some forms, is considered a frivolous form of entertainment or an opportunity for fame. But theater in the truest form rules supreme as a wonderful teacher. Thereby, rightly should acquire a prominent place in modern school learning.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle 

Even in the mildest form, theater allows us to feel things with the heart. Helps become more aware and reflect on actions- both as introspection and as observance. It helps one understand the issues better and look at points of view if expressed well. When practiced as an exercise or a part of the curriculum, theater has proven to help self-esteem and confidence. As a group activity, it further promotes compassion and empathy. Even for the spectators, it acts as reflective learning to understand issues better and leaves an imprint on the mind. 

Such a powerful medium should hold a prominent place within the classrooms, where everyday learning should go beyond the theory of life but delve into the sentiment of living a whole life, where your rights and duties are in harmony with your interpersonal and emotional well-being. 

"Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand."

It would be highly fruitful if the aspects of theater are included in everyday learning where the teacher uses various aspects of theater to improve the listening and problem-solving skills of the pupil. Working together as a team, rather than in a classroom would enhance interpersonal skills and make collaborative learning a part of a child’s personality. Since theater engages all types of learners, it includes voice modulation, role play, dialogues, enacting scenes, the learning can be more rounded and wholesome. 

The use of props and puppetry adds a fun dimension to learning that stays with the child forever. Many of the behavioral problems of children can be addressed without naming them. Many social issues and injustices can be highlighted for awareness building of growing up children. 

Theater, a play it may seem but it may help a child play life better, may make them play safer, play it right, or just play a role that is best suited for them. 

Digital Divide in Education

 

Plagued by structural problems like lack of infrastructure, electricity, books, qualified teachers and clean drinking water, the condition of public schools in India was already dire before the pandemic hit. Children from underprivileged backgrounds were suffering from the consequences of an inadequate education system when exacerbating the situation, the pandemic brought with it severe disruptions to every sphere of life. The situation revealed the deep-rooted fragilities of the education sector in particular. With the mandated closure of all institutions, the education sector had to transform overnight. Along with it, the problems too have transformed.

A lack of school infrastructure has now become a lack of digital infrastructure. This shift to digital learning has brought with it a new category of divide, the Digital Divide. With all educational activities being carried out remotely, the disparity between the haves and have-nots in society is more perceptible than ever before.

The poorest students are facing challenges such as lack of digital devices like smartphones and laptops, poor net connectivity and inadequate power supply. The absence of digital infrastructure for both the teachers and students is becoming more and more evident in disadvantaged communities. As social distancing norms do not allow classes to be conducted physically, the increasing learning gap is pushing these underserved children further back. Concerned parents are trying to help their children, but can only do so much. They do not know how to operate the devices, are helpless at stopping the misuse of devices, and have the added pressure of financial strains and providing childcare and meals for their children. Many have decided to keep their children out of the education system altogether. It is estimated that missing out on school for six months would reduce pupils’ lifetime earnings by 5%.

The EdTech remodel of the education system is here to stay. It is now the new normal. What needs to be done now is to reinvent the thought process to ensure that the most vulnerable children in society get their right: their right to equal access to quality education.