In the  wake  of  the  health  risk  posed  by  the  COVID-19 pandemic,  a  blended  learning  model  was  facilitated. Our implementation partner, Agastya  International Foundation, was  quick  to  adapt  to  the  situation  at  hand  and transformed  the  outreach  from  a  physical  mode  of instruction  to  online  education  to  minimize  the  health risks without  compromising  student  learning.

The EPL program is a digital e-learning platform to cater to the  needs of students in rural areas and enhance their self-learning and exploration skills. With the principle of accessibility in mind, this program encouraged students to learn and explore through household materials and real-life scenarios.

Upon reopening of schools, a  Mobile Science  Unit,  equipped  with  more  than  100  science models,  provided hands-on  face-to-face learning  opportunities  to the  students  in  small  batches  with  necessary protective measures in  place.

This initiative benefited more than 1,600 students in 14 government schools by providing more than  46,000 virtual and over 6,000 face-to-face interactions. In addition, virtual training programs were conducted for the teachers to refresh their teaching methods and shift to a more child-centric approach, thus enhancing positive behavioral change in young students.

This program, conducted virtually, supported the students of grades nine and ten to understand their personalities and aptitudes and their interests to choose the right stream to pursue their career aspirations.