Ekal Abhiyan Brings Education Revolution to Aija Sangh
The Ekal Abhiyan program was successfully conducted at the Veerabrahmendra Swami Temple in Aija Sangh. This initiative, which is part of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s efforts
Gadwal: The Ekal Abhiyan program was successfully conducted at the Veerabrahmendra Swami Temple in Aija Sangh. This initiative, which is part of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s efforts, has been instrumental in bringing education to children in rural and tribal areas.
The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is the primary organization managing the Ekal Abhiyan project, which operates one-teacher schools (Ekal Vidyalayas) across India. Established in 1986 in the Gumla district of Jharkhand, the foundation aims to provide free and informal education to children aged 6-14 years in remote areas.
Each Ekal school typically comprises 30-40 students taught by local youth, who have completed at least grades 8 or 9 and received special training. A "sub-cluster" comprises 10 schools managed by local administrators, with higher organizational levels such as "clusters" (30 schools), "sub-areas" (90 schools), and "regions" (270 schools). Classes are often conducted under trees or near temples, and the curriculum includes storytelling, folk plays, folk songs, ethical teachings, patriotic speeches, and moral education.
The foundation ensures gender balance, with half of the teachers and students being women, and one-fifth of the students pursuing higher education. Some of these graduates return to serve the foundation.
As of August 2020, the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation operated over 102,753 schools, including 2,100 in the northeastern states. The number of schools has grown significantly, from 27,000 in 2010 to over 102,753 by 2020. The foundation aims to reach 200,000 schools by 2030, ensuring every child in rural India has access to education.
Prominent participants in the Aija Sangh program included Sangh Committee member Bhagat Reddy, Anchal Abhiyan leader Mahadevamma, Anchal Sadhak Balakrishna, Sangh leader Ranganath, Sangh Sadak Someshwaramma, and other local leaders and community members.
This initiative underscores the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation's mission to address educational challenges in underserved regions and empower children through grassroots efforts.
