PRATHIBHA POSHAK – By Rajalakshmi Children Foundation
“Pratibha Poshak is a programme to Nurture Talent”
“Pratibha Poshak is a programme to Nurture Talent”
Many children having talent, tenacity, and interest necessary to pursue studies in the fields of Mathematics, Science, Engineering or Medicine are deprived of good quality education, guidance, and financial support.
The goal of Pratibha Poshak is to identify highly talented students, from remote rural and urban areas from economically disadvantaged families and enable them to obtain high quality online education by digitally connecting them with mentors and teachers.
We are embarking on this project encouraged by our experience with the Sharada Pratibha Poshan Upakram, which we have been running since 2017.
Sharada Pratibha Poshan Upakram (SPPU) is a set of initiatives for nurturing talented students from economically disadvantaged families, and to make high-quality all-round education accessible to all. This programme began in mid-2016 and so far, 105 children have been the beneficiaries of SPPU.
Students having completed 8th grade (age 14-15) are enrolled in this programme. They remain in the programme until they complete 12th grade and enter university education. Students are selected using the data from National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Examination (NMMS) conducted every year by DSERT, Government of Karnataka. Students having family income of less than INR 1.5 lacs per year and studying in Government or Government-aided public schools are eligible to write the NMMS Examination. At the next level, we conduct an independent test where we teach them a small new topic and assess their ability to understand and apply the concept to solve non-trivial and practical problems. We also interact with the parents of selected students.
Most of these students live in villages, small towns or in urban slums and obtain completely free or very low-cost education in Government or Government-aided, vernacular medium schools. We will begin this year with students from Belagavi and Dharwad districts and gradually extend it to students all over the state of Karnataka.
Every student selected for this programme is given a tablet PC (a tab) with Wi-Fi and LTE support by RCF. Students are also given network data packs. A workshop is conducted on using the device effectively for online learning. A local coordinator is assigned to resolve any difficulties they may face. Our mentors include seasoned academicians, entrepreneurs, and industrialists from all over the world who have graciously agreed to guide our children in the local language itself.
This ambitious project is being supported through a generous grant from Future Fund, USA whose goal is to support Impactful initiatives, to scale up.
On August 9th, 2022, we will be launching the first phase for Belagavi Education District from where we have selected 90 students. This year we are planning to select a total of 300 students for Pratibha Poshak.
We will also be signing an MOU with the BEO office, City Cluster, Belgaum to provide Computer and Information Technology related training to students and faculty of Government run and Government aided schools in Belgaum. RCF will support this cause by bearing the cost of conducting the classes and providing infrastructure wherever feasible.
Rajalakshmi Children Foundation established in early 2013 by Dr. Shashikant Kulgod & Dr. Vijalakshmi Kulgod is a NGO working relentlessly to improve the health, education, and overall development of underprivileged children studying in Government Schools.
Dr. Ravindra Guravannavar, holding an MTech, Ph.D. from IIT Mumbai has been running Sharada Pratibha Poshan Upakrama since 2017 teaching more than 100 government school students over the weekends. After facing the challenges of Covid that curtailed physical classes, Dr Ravindra conceptualised the present Prathibha Poshak Project for online high quality education.
Starting with building toilets at Government run schools, providing libraries, science labs, classrooms and even teachers/instructors, RCF has emerged today as an organization which selflessly strives to provide much needed facilities in Government schools.
Some of our noteworthy projects are: –
- Building hi-tech toilets and washrooms at Government Schools -KHPS Mahantesh Nagar, GHS Mahantesh Nagar, KHPS Shivabasavanagar, KHPS Mutyanatti, KHPS Bhutaramanahatti & KHPS Fulbag Galli
- Nutritious Food Programme at KHPS Shivabasavanagar – providing healthy snacks in the evening to more than 150 students daily during last 3 years
- Computer Lab – KHPS Shivabasavanagar, KHPS Bhutaramanahatti , KHPS Fulbag Galli
- Science Lab – KHPS Mahantesh Nagar, KHPS Shivabasavanagar, KHPS Bhutaramanahatti
- Activity Centre – KHPS Mahantesh Nagar, KHPS Shivabasavanagar
- Social Science Lab- GHS Vantamuri
- Projectors gifted to – GHS Mahantesh Nagar, KHPS Shivabasavanagar
- Plantation and Gardening work at all government schools of Mahanteshnagar
- Painting work building staircase etc at various schools.
- Celebration of International Book Giving day (Feb 14th)
- Outbound activities – Visits to Adventure parks, Science Centres and MLIRC
- Life Coach Programme to teach Life skills
“PRATIBHA POSHAK” PROJECT TO BE LAUNCHED IN BELAGAVI
On Tuesday, 9th August 2022, Rajalakshmi Children Foundation will be launching the first phase of Pratibha Poshak project for Belagavi Education District.
The goal of Pratibha Poshak which is the brainchild of Dr Ravindra Guruvannavar MTech, PhD, is to impart high quality digital education in the fields of Science & Mathematics, to the talented students, whose potential is not fulfilled due to their poor economic conditions.
Total 300 Students having completed 8th grade (age 14-15) from Government and Aided schools, are enrolled in this programme based on their performance in NMMS Scholorship exam and additional selection process. Every student selected for this programme is given a Samsung tablet PC (a tab costing Rs 20,000 each) with Wi-Fi and LTE support by RCF.
Online teaching sessions are conducted in topics related to Science, Maths, Reasoning and English by expert teachers drawn from all over the world.
This ambitious project is being supported through a generous grant from Future Fund, USA whose goal is to support impactful initiatives, to scale up.
This year a total of 300 students for Pratibha Poshak will be selected from Belagavi, Dharwad and Chikkodi education districts. This innovative digital education initiative is being rolled out in collaboration of District Education Department. Rajalakshmi Children Foundation will be signing an MOU with Sri Basavraj Nalatwad DDPI(Adm), Belagavi during the launch of this programme for Belagavi Educational District.
On this occasion, RCF will also sign an MOU with the BEO office, City Cluster, Belgavi to maintain, manage and provide human resource, to Computer labs installed in Government schools of the city under smart city project.
Basavarj Nalatwad DDPI (ADMN) Belagavi, Y.J. Bhajantri, BEO Belagavi and Avinash Potdar, Industrialist and Chairman Belgaum Education Society have kindly consented to inaugurate the Pratibha Poshak project.
The inauguration will be held at Smt. Ushatai Gogte School, Patil Galli, Belagavi, on 9th August, 2022, at 10.30 am. Founder Directors of RCF, Dr.Vijayalakshmi and Dr. Shashikanth Kulgod , Dr.Ravindra , Founder and Lead Director , Pratibha Poshak Initiative will also be present along with parents and beneficiaries of the project.
