Uttar Pradesh
India’s most populous state could be a country in its own right. Its problems are large, too. Over 30% of its inhabitants live below the poverty line. With a population of almost 200 million, it is dense with people and its children’s educational needs are widespread.
Despite the fact that 96.5% of 6-14 year-olds are in school:
- The overall literacy rate is a stunning 57%
- 74% of 2nd graders can’t read simple words in Hindi
- Over 62% of 5th graders can’t read a simple 2nd grade text
- 74% of 1st graders can’t recognize numbers greater than ten
- 76% of 4th graders can’t solve a simple subtraction problem
Pratham began its work in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) in 2001, after the Government invited us to join the Janshala program to help get out-of-school kids into classes.
In 2006, Pratham and the government Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) jointly launched the Nai Disha basic learning program in 20 districts. The objective of Nai Disha was to ensure that all children in 1st and 2nd grade learned to read simple texts and understood basic arithmetic. It laid the foundation for our Read India program.
Pratham’s main focus in U.P. is our Read India campaign—a program that teaches 1st through 5th graders how read, write in Hindi and do basic math in 8-12 weeks. 70 districts in U.P. have been targeted.
In U.P., our flagship Read India Program has five elements:
- Train schoolteachers in Pratham's accelerated learning techniques
- Provide teaching and learning materials statewide
- Recruit volunteers in communities and train them to provide tutoring to children who need extra help
- Promote daily programs that provide activities for children that help improve basic skills
- Monitor the progress of the program
- Pratham’s strong and continuing programs in U.P. Include:
Read India
This program is currently being offered through 28 Block Excellence Programs (BEPs), three District Resource Centers (DRCs) and the Urban Learning Centre (ULC) program in five cities. The Read India program is operated out of the BEPs through government schools as well as community centers. In many blocks, Pratham has been given permission to teach in government schools.
Urban Learning Centers (ULCs)
Currently in five cities, this model tutoring program provides help to children where it’s needed. There are currently 87 ULC’s running in the cities of Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra and Rampur. These programs are run out of our own centers and located in urban slums. The teachers, typically young women and men from the local communities, are paid a nominal sum for their services.
Pratham Training, Assessment and Placement Centers (PRATAP)
These centers are transitioning to a post-secondary institution for volunteers and all youth.
Education for Education Centers (EFE)
Pratham runs 272 EFE centers in 27 BEPs and three DRCs. We are implementing a vocational training program for our volunteers in these districts. The volunteers are typically young men and women from rural areas. They receive training in employable skills like English, digital literacy and teaching. So far, the program has trained almost 3,500 volunteers in digital literacy.
Direct Programs
Balwadis, English and Urdu classes are running in the cities of Agra, Lucknow, Rampur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Saharanpur reaching approximately 20,000 children every month. Libraries are also running across the urban cities of U.P.
Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children (PCVC)
This program is rescuing, sheltering and educating child workers and victims of abuse in the cities of Kanpur, Lucknow, Banaras and the rural block of Beharaich. Over 7,000 children have benefited from this program and 228 bastis, or urban slum pockets, are covered.
Early Childhood Care and Education Center (ECCE)
An ECCE center has been established in U.P. and is providing regular training in early childhood care and education.
