The British Asian Trust, a charitable organization founded by King Charles III, has taken the lead in a monumental educational initiative set to impact the lives of up to four million children in India over the next five years. Dubbed "LiftEd" – Learning and Innovation in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy to Transform Education – the initiative aims to fortify India's education ecosystem and was officially launched on the International Day of Education last week.
Focusing on Fundamental Skills
LiftEd focuses on students in grades 1-3 in public schools, bringing together a diverse group of education experts with the goal of enhancing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) in India. The initiative has successfully secured up to USD 20 million (INR 166 crore) in funding from a consortium of 26 partners, including influential organizations such as Atlassian Foundation, Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Reliance Foundation, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS Optimus Foundation, and USAID.
Aligned with National Mission
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With the Indian government recognizing FLN as a critical prerequisite to learning, the initiative aligns with the 2021 NIPUN Bharat Mission, which aims to equip every child aged 4-10 with FLN skills by 2026-27. Bharath Visweswariah, Executive Director India, British Asian Trust, emphasized the importance of aligning with the government's goals and employing a systems-change approach, stating, "Applying our learnings from previous successes in education in India, we recognized the value of aligning with the Government of India's goals, embedding a systems-change approach, and unlocking the power of technology early on."
LiftEd's strategy involves a dual approach of on-ground and at-home interventions, with on-ground education partners actively working in five geographies – Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Additionally, LiftEd has introduced an EdTech Accelerator aimed at developing digital solutions to enhance FLN for low-income students in India.
Founded in 2007 by King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales, the British Asian Trust has consistently worked to address poverty, inequality, and injustice in South Asia.
(Inputs from IANS)
