Help 300,000 kids realize that Math can be fun

Akshara Foundation's long envisioned objective of improving numeracy skills and facilitate classroom teaching of Mathematics among students in Government primary schools saw light in the form of Ganitha Kalika Andolana (GKA). Since the launch of GKA, we have witnessed a large number of inspiring stories emerging while making the Math learning effective for around 3 lack children of class 4 and 5 in 7515 schools in 6 districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

An empowered teacher:

One of the major expected output from this intervention was to empower the teachers for their Math classroom practices. The approach was to provide Math teaching aids and to build the innovative pedagogic practice through training. Mrs.Mary a Math teacher in Government Higher Primary School Sukalapete of Sindanoor block in Raichur district is  one such empowered teacher. Mary says "By adopting the principles of GKA like Concrete-Representational-Abstract phases and principles of group activities, it as made me a facilitator of math learning than an instructor, which I used to be earlier. These colorful materials are attractive and holds the concentration of learner a longer time".

There are 41 children in grade four and 49 in grade five, we could see all 50 children practicing the representational stage, which helps in the transition from concrete teaching aids towards learning abstract concept of Math. She has made a large banner with pictures of all the Teaching aids provided as a part of GKA and displayed in the classroom. It was interesting to see that children have made replicas of most of the Teaching aids provided with the kit. Mary as maintained a separate profile for all fifty children to track the progress of their Math learning. During the class, she displays a chart with a problem, children will pick of their choice of Teaching aids relevant to solve the problem and works with different groups to solve the problem. Mary says, when children work in group it helps slow learners to pick-up the pace of learning. As a spill over effect, the Teaching aids supplied for grade 4 and 5 is used to facilitate learning in grade 7 as well. 

Monitoring, a shift from Field Coordinator's of Akshara Foundation to Cluster Resoruce Persons (CRPs) of the Education department, Government of Karnataka:

Akshara appointed Field Coordinators for monitoring the program and to provide on-site support for teachers. A SMS based monitoring mechanism was introduced in the academic year 2016-17. Field Coordinators of Akshara will send responses for questions related to GKA during their school visits. An instruction was sent from State office of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to CRPs to send the SMS during their school visit. This exercise has a spill over effect in clusters like Jalihall cluster of Sindanoor. During the process of sending the response, Mr.Prakash, CRP of Jalihall cluster has become familiar with the Teaching Aids of GKA and the method of using it. He has made sure that every school in his cluster uses Teaching aids of Ganitha Kalika Andolana during the Math classroom. This a good example of effect Cluster leadership on functioning of schools and effective implementation of education initiatives.

Transferring of responsibility for sustainability, from Akshara Foundation to Community based organization:

Participation of community in the school's administrative as well as the learning process, plays a major role in delivering quality education in the school system. Political decentralization makes local self government a key stakeholder in the school process. To make school porous to the community and strengthen the involvement of local self government, Akshara is organizing Gram Panchyath Level Math competitions for children of grade 4, 5 and 6. These competitions are held in partnership with volunteers of the village, Local Self Government and other community stakeholders. Conducting these competitions has optimize the stakeholder involvement in Andolana, meaning movement. To sustain these competitions it is important that community stakeholders continue these events in the absence of Akshara Foundation's Field Coordinators.

Bhaknal Gramaabhivridhi Sanga of Ladwanthi Gram Panchayath has taken up the ownership of organizing one such event. Bhaknal Gramaabhivridhi Sanga is a community based organization with 180 active members. Apart from organizing the Math competition for children, the organization is also considering the option of arranging remedial classes for children with the help of volunteers from the community.

Field stories like these motivate us to put extra effort to accomplish the objectives of our programs. At the end of the day, the beneficiary of all these efforts is a innocent child learning and enjoying mathematics!