Project brief

Gnyan enhances the quality of teaching by conducting training programs & motivating teachers and also by giving them due recognition & incentives, in order to bring an improvement in teachers’ attitude.

In Gnyan, we also provide Newspapers (NIE – Newspaper in Education of “The Times of India” and Navneet “NEWSHOUSE”) to some teachers and students of the schools in Valsad district.

Purpose of taking this project

In this gloablized world just curriculum based knowledge is not enough. It is essential that children develop reading habits and thereby improve their general knowledge. Teachers play an invaluable role in student’s life. We believe that they are the ones who are moulding tomorrow’s generation. Without their support no significant improvement in the existing educational system are possible. Teachers are at the centre of the entire education system; and hence critical for Maa Foundation’s vision for making Valsad district a role model in the field of education.

There is a general feeling in the society that the teachers are not being given their due recognition in the society. There is also a lack of good incentives / awards to the teaching fraternity. The salary and career prospects do not justify their noble profession.

Unfortunately there is no concerted effort as yet by the Corporate sector, NGO’s or even other social organizations. We would possibly be the first private organization to look after the upliftment of teachers of Valsad district.

There are more than 6000 teachers in Valsad district and MAA FOUNDATION believes that there is a need to introduce schemes / incentives which can excite the teachers and are aimed at overall teacher’s upliftment. Motivation is highly required in order to bring about improvement which will be beneficial to the society at a large, because only when teachers are motivated they can motivate students.

Scope of the project

Gnyan plans to cover all the teachers of Valsad district. The newspaper project covers students of Valsad district as well as Daman. Silvassa and Dadra Nagar Haveli.

Project details

In order to understand the difficulties teachers might be facing on a regular basis and to know about their thoughts/opinions in view of improving the current education system, a survey was carried out, by requesting them to fill up a detailed questionnaire related to the various issues faced by teachers today. There are around 6000 teachers in Valsad district, out of which scientific sampling of around 1000 teachers was done. After taking into consideration their responses to the questionnaires, Maa Foundation started conducting felicitation functions to give them their due recognition and acknowledge the innovative teaching methods adopted by various teachers.

Felicitation functions are conducted each year where teachers are felicitated with cash and other awards for using innovative methods and/ or technology in teaching and thereby increasing the effectiveness of the teaching learning process. Competitions are conducted where teachers prepare lesson plans and the teacher with the best lesson plan is awarded for their innovative methods in teaching. These lesson plans are circulated to other teachers so that other teachers can follow the practice and improve their teaching skills.

In this gloablized world just curriculum based knowledge is not enough. Hence to increase their knowledge beyond what lies in the text books, Project Gnyan circulates newspapers among the students. It helps instill in them the valuable habit of reading. Every year scrapbook competitions are held where students are required to submit scrapbook made on newspaper cuttings from on various topics. This motivates them to inculcate the reading habit and increases their general knowledge.

Project Deliverables

Maa Foundation believes that

• Teachers once motivated, will bring about the required educational reform.
• This will bring about awareness as well as give recognition to the best.
• Others will also be motivated to do better & prove themselves.
• Instill a healthy competition in teachers to out perform each other & excel in their role as a teacher.
• Every student will form inculcate reading habit.

How we are different

Unlike the government’s incentive schemes, we not only will provide incentives but also give recognition and publicity which is very important in the society, so that the teacher gets their due recognition. Our assessment will not only give importance to their knowledge but also to their capabilities to deliver their knowledge which matter most.

Status as of June 2012

As on June 2012, 1400 school teachers were provided professional training, 241 teachers have been felicitated; more than 35,600 copies of newspaper are circulated to students every week by Maa Foundation