School Education

The local communities served by these 29 schools have been most grateful to have good schools serving their children despite the fact that their villages are remote and often unreachable.

Numerous other communities have also been requesting for the establishment of new schools in their areas. However, financial considerations, the real need, and number of students who could enroll, have been key factors in determining the setting up of new schools. Financial and personnel limitations have been a major factor that has been limiting this effort.

The Purvanchal Pragati Samaj sponsors a network of 29 schools, many with hostels ifor boys and girls, in five states of northeast India. The focus has always that of supporting local communities in their struggles to overcome the challenges that impede their growth and development. In practice, it means establishing ways to promote education, better sanitation and health, social and self-employment skills, and job accessibility.

Purvanchal Pragati Samaj sponsors schools that are committed to excellence, focusing on the all-round development of students. These schools integrate sports, performing arts, value education, and service, as integral components of their school program.

In keeping with the guidelines of the New Education Policy (NEP-2020) introduced by the Government of India in 2022, these schools are preparing themselves for the changes that have been mandated, setting up the additional infrastructure that is required including updated libraries, computer and science laboratories, and building new resource rooms and workspaces. The schools are also ensuring that their teaching staff possess the necessary academic qualifications to meet these standards.

The Background

Institutional Engagements

Community Engagement

The Purvanchal Pragati Samaj sponsors 29 schools in rural North East India, serving students from various indigenous tribal communities.

Of these 29 schools, 6 are higher secondary schools (up to Grade 12), and a few of the 9 high schools (up to Grade 10) are transitioning into higher secondary schools. 6 schools are junior high schools (up to Grade 8), and 8 schools are primary schools (up to Grade 5). With the introduction of the new school structure mandated by the recently enacted New Education Policy (NEP-2020), some of the schools are being upgraded with a few others may be downgraded. These decisions are still being discerned, and will be based on enrollment numbers, the potential for growth, the available of land, the engagement of the local community, etc.,, and the local communities are engaged in this decision making process.

Some of the schools are still in simple bamboo structures, as in the picture above of the Majuron school, and classroom teaching becomes challenging because of the heat radiating off the tin sheets during the summer, and the sound of the rain in the monsoons. The plan is to gradually replace all such buildings with brick-and-motar structures.

Music, drama, dance, declamation, and general knowledge are among the various co-curricular programs that are part of the program in most schools. There is an effort to provide students with the opportunity to develop their innate talents.

The education of students in computers and employment-related skills has been a challenge due to the lack of computers, steady electricity, and the difficulty in finding competent teaching staff locally.

Most of the schools offer residential facilities for both male and female students. These hostels make it possible students from remote villages to access the quality all-round education offered in these schools. The hostels also make it possible to promote sports, drama, singing and art as the students are "always around."

A shortage of water for many months each year, and the absence of reliable and steady electricity are two problems that impact the hostel students.