1 in 4 children of school-going age is out of school in India 99 million children in total have dropped out of school (Census 2011). Out of every 100 children, only 32 children finish their school education age-appropriately (District Information System for Education (DISE 2014-15).
Accounting for Caste-based Attendance, the National Sample Survey had estimated that three out of four children currently out of school in India are either Dalit (32.4%), Muslim (25.7%), or Adivasi (16.6%).
People residing in slums and slum-like places are deprived of formal schooling and training. In India, urban slums constituting about 22.6% of the urban population are the poor and socially disadvantaged. Given the situation, we are trying to make a difference in such places by actively engaging in the educational sector of the areas. We firmly believe that empowering such areas through proper education and training will bring about socio-economic and behavioural change among the target people.
The objective of the Steppingstones project is to help educate children in urban slums in India, that are underdeveloped and lack provisions for formal schooling. Through this project we intend to enhance the capacity of the Community Learning Centre (CLC) set up Shiv Vihar, Delhi and set up similar CLCs in urban slums across India that focuses to
Impart informal education to children from remote/underdeveloped areas lacking access to the formal schooling.
Identify and prepare children of under privileged families to enroll in govt. schools
Educate the people of the region on health care and sanitation issues through different awareness programs
Train graduate students and social workers in the region to bring about socio-educational change
Various literacy and learning programs, coaching classes and awareness sessions will be imparted through these learning centres including
Basic Literacy Program
Adult Literacy Program
Career Guidance & Counselling
Nutrition Food Program
Health & Hygiene
The Steppingstones project sets up Community Learning Centres (CLC). A CLC is a well-ordered learning and teaching support system which helps dropouts or never enrolled students in rural areas especially slum-like places get basic education in order to make them ready for formal education. In addition to the education support, we do necessary efforts for their socio-economic, moral, and cultural development. This system will usually run in one or two classrooms with basic facilities enrolling 20-25 students in a batch.
CLC Classroom is A multi-levelled, learner-centered and fun-filled classroom environment. Students will be divided into groups or batches according to their literacy level and competency.
CLCs utilize a spectrum of effective teaching methods and learning styles ranging from self-directed learning to instructor-centered learning. Teaching and learning styles will differ according to the nature of area, students, and level of learning.
SteppingStones set up the CLC in Shiv Vihar in Northeast Delhi where the community tensions are still high in the aftermath of the Delhi pogrom of 2020. We aim to enhance the capacity from the current 50 to 100 students in 2023.
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