NGO’s bid to improve academic standards in North Karnataka region
Vijay Times
Gulbarga, September 15, 2005

After successfully implementing its educational programmes in Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwad, the Akshara Foundation in association with NGOs and banks is implementing its educational programmes to improve the educational status of North-Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnataka region in particular.

Addressing media persons here on Wednesday, Chairman of Akshara Foundation, Rohini Nilekani and its programmes Director, Vijay Kulkarni said that to begin with Akshara has plan to work in 20 blocks which are classified as educationally backward by Nanjudappa Committee and these blocks are situated in Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bellary, Bijapur, Bagalkot and Gadag districts.

Following approach of five planned programme of quality pre-school in every village, accelerated reading and mathematics programme for slow learners in Government schools, programmes for drop-outs, women literacy and library for every village, the educational programmes will be implemented, Vijay said.

Briefing on the activities of the foundation particularly in Hyderabad-Karnataka region, Vijay said that in the first year 25 villages per block would be taken up and in the coming three years entire block would be covered.

He said 112 centers have already started providing service to 2300 children and added that Akshara has set up resource centers in Gulbarga and Dharwad to train the volunteers.

The village level implementation will be done with the assistance of Self Help Group [SHGs] and local panchayats will be involved in monitoring the progress, Vijay said and claimed that more than 90,000 children would be benefited by the partners.

Chairman of the Foundation, Rohini Nilekani said that Akshara has been focusing on providing services in the areas of pre-school, in-school and out-of-school children belonging to disadvantaged children. She said children have no access to books in the rural areas and added that Pratham Books will be sent to the libraries under their educational programmes.

The State Government under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is providing good cooperation to Akshara’s initiatives, she added.

Founder trustee Suzanne Singh was present at the press meet.