Kotak Karma is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity of Kotak Mahindra Group Companies.
- Launching Foundational Literacy and Numeracy program to enhance student learning outcomes
MUMBAI (India CSR): Kotak Education Foundation (KEF) – the CSR implementing agency of Kotak Mahindra Group, received approval to run its FLN program in all 516 PM Shri schools in Maharashtra. The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy program at Kotak Education Foundation has successfully completed its first year of implementation in 65 Mumbai private aided and BMC schools.
The vision of the FLN program is to ensure the universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, enabling every child to achieve desired learning competencies in reading, writing, numeracy, and 21st-century skills. The project supports teachers in their professional development and enhances their capacity to effectively teach FLN skills. It runs workshops, provides hands-on support and continuous mentoring. It employs innovative and interactive teaching methods, worksheets and educational games, to address diverse learning needs and achieve desired learning competencies.
Dr. Ganesh Raja, CEO, Kotak Education Foundation said, “we are extremely trilled to start our FLN program at 516 PM SHRI Schools across Maharashtra. Kotak Education Foundation’s FLN program will not only focus on enhancing cognitive development but also creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st-century skills. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge”.
PM SHRI School
PM SHRI School is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of India. This initiative is intended to develop more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools managed by Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies including KVS and NVS in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students.
The pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly in the foundational years), inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible, and enjoyable. The focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade. It will nurture students in a way that they become engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by the National Education Policy 2020.
Kotak Education Foundation
It has been a rewarding sixteen years since we embarked on our mission to equip economically disadvantaged children and youth with education and foundational skills, galvanizing them towards a better future. Our ‘Inch Wide Mile Deep’ approach, home-grown projects focused on quality education for the low-income segment have been instrumental in shaping the success of our projects across India. KEF’s approach is primarily three-pronged –
a) holistic interventions with children and educators in school,
b) equitable scholarships for higher studies, and
c) vocational education and skills training for livelihood.
Strengthening school leadership and teacher capacity building, creating a digital ecosystem and learning environment in schools, equipping middle school students with confidence and skills of communicative English, upskilling teachers to provide Foundational Literacy & Numeracy skills, and supporting districts in building and running Model Schools – these are key interventions run by KEF in Maharashtra and partially in Gujarat.
KEF launched Kotak Kanya Scholarship in 2021 to offer financial and academic support to meritorious girl students for the pursuit of higher education from all across India. Kotak Junior Scholarship supports meritorious students from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for pursuing 11th and 12th Standard. KEF’s Unnati project upskills unemployed youth from economically weaker sections of society and coaches them in the basics of IT and spoken English, life skills and personality development. It ensures placements for all eligible participants so they can stride with confidence into any professional sphere.
KEF is now at the cusp of change as it prepares for the next chapter in its journey toward empowering the youth with quality education and livelihood. Armed with its vast experience and expertise, the organization now aims to scale its depth as well as the breadth of its reach. KEF’s philosophy is evolving from a ‘school as a unit’ to working toward district/state level education transformation. As KEF expands its ambit, it will help drive systemic reform and state education transformation to create long-term Impact at Scale.
(India CSR)
