Help 300,000 kids realize that Math can be fun

It’s been a year since the launch of Akshara Foundation’s biggest programme yet, Ganitha Kalika Andolana - the math programme that was implemented in six districts of the Hyderabad Karnataka region namely, Gulbarga, Koppal, Bellary, Raichur, Bidar and Yadgir. Around 8,000 teachers, 682 Government Resource Persons and 718 Cluster Resource Persons have been trained on the methodology, so that 300,000 children in 7,515 schools could benefit from this programme.

The excitement of the new academic year has just about died down, and classes are now in full swing. The beginning of an academic year brings with it new aspirations, and new goals. There is always a drive to do better than the previous year, to learn more and achieve more.

The timing is perfect to step back and take a look at how far we’ve come, how the programme has motivated the children and whether learning levels have indeed increased.

The stories of Husainbi and Vinay are perfect examples of how much our programme has impacted the likes of them and made them fall in love with math.

13-year old Husainbi lives in Doni village, along with her parents and two siblings. Doni village falls 30km away from Mundargi town, north of Karnataka. While her father works as a daily-wage labourer in the fields, her mother is a home maker.

Husainbi was a 1^st grade drop out and her parents never forced her to go back to school. Instead, she remained at home taking care of her siblings and helping her mother with household chores. After a lot of intervention from the Akshara resource person, her class teacher and even her head master, they managed to convince her and her parents about the importance of an education, and why it was essential she go back. They finally managed to get her into the 2^nd grade, at the age of ten years.

Three years later, on her sheer dedication, interest in academics and further insistence, her head master has promoted her to the 6^th grade. She can now read and write well. In fact, she even manages the class during the absence of the teachers.

Most importantly, the teaching learning materials in our math kit are a huge attraction for her. She even comes forward to act as a facilitator/leader during the math class. She loves solving problems in a group, with the help of the math kit. It’s her favourite subject! This genius in the making wants to become a teacher when she grows up.

Vinay on the other hand, comes from Hanumasagar, in Gadag district, also in north Karnataka. He stays with his parents and two brothers. His parents, both educated till the 10^th grade, shifted to Hanumasagar just so the kids could get a good education. And Vinay is definitely making the most of it, right from the 4^th grade.

Vinay has a new-found love for math, and he says it’s all because of the math kit that Akshara has provided in his school. He never wants to go back to Gajendragad because he will never find such colourful and fun ways of learning math. He even helps his friends in class while using the math kit. He has been put in charge of all the materials, to ensure everything is in order.

His mother meets the teachers regularly, and even wanted to become the SDMC member to help improve the learning quality in the school where her children learn.

A great start, with a long way still to go. It’s inspiring stories like these that keep us focussed and more determined than ever, to ensure that our math programme soon covers every government school in the state.