- P&G Shiksha and Educational Initiatives are implementing an AI-enabled remedial learning tool in government schools in rural tribal communities to help underprivileged children
Procter & Gamble India (P&G India) has announced that as part of its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme P&G Shiksha, it is equipping nearly 80 government schools located in tribal communities across Maharashtra and Telangana with ‘Mindspark’ – an artificial intelligence-enabled remedial learning tool, to help bridge learning gaps in underprivileged children. The tool integrates pedagogy, teacher instruction and a learning management system to assess a student’s learning level and develop a customised learning path for each one of them.
P&G Shiksha is setting up the unique ‘P&G Shiksha Mindspark Labs’ with its implementing partner Educational Initiatives (EI) and State Government Bodies, to empower tribal students in remote and underserved areas of Maharashtra and Telangana through access to quality education in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG 4).
Studies indicate that students in schools often fall behind in keeping pace with their classes, developing a gap in fundamental conceptual understanding. A learning gap is created when the child falls behind and the current learning level is not in line with the expected learning level as per the defined curriculum. If not addressed, this can lead to a lack of adequate education or even dropouts. P&G Shiksha focuses on improving learning outcomes as part of its 360-degree holistic educational interventions, in line with the Government’s Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. As part of this, it is implementing unique and innovative programmes like ‘Mindspark’ to minimise learning gaps and improve learning outcomes in children. The ‘Mindspark’ programme is implemented in partnership with Education Initiatives and the State Governments. The State Governments provide the Infrastructure in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to government schools, which is after that equipped with the Mindspark tool by P&G Shiksha and Educational Initiatives, to create a customised learning path for every child.
LV Vaidyanathan, CEO, P&G India inaugurated one such ‘Model P&G Shiksha Mindspark Lab’ at the Government Ashram School in Bhinar, Maharashtra. The inauguration celebrations, P&G India and EI, felicitated academically top-performing students.
“We truly believe that the most meaningful way of doing business is to improve lives, be it through our superior portfolio of daily use products, or by creating a positive impact for the communities we operate in. Through P&G Shiksha, we have made a longstanding commitment to education, which is also our way of contributing to the social development of the country. In line with this, P&G Shiksha has embarked on a mission to empower children and enable them to improve their learning outcomes via Mindspark”, LV Vaidyanathan, CEO, P&G India, stated.
He added, “The recent International Volunteer Day celebrations emphasise upon our belief of leaving no child behind and reaffirms education’s role as an enabler for the next generation’s brighter future. We seek to ensure that children from underserved communities also have access to tools and resources that can help them make the most of education and stay at par, or better even, excel. By working together, we aim to empower tribal communities and contribute to their holistic and sustainable development in the long run.”
“We are delighted to bring ‘Mindspark’ to the tribal communities of the country together with our longstanding partner P&G Shiksha. Tribal communities face unique challenges and disparities in their journey toward education and holistic development given the balance between traditions and modern needs. Tribal schools are located in remote regions where access to quality education is plagued by lack of infrastructure and inadequate resources and teachers who may not know the tribal language or culture. In this context, it is imperative to drive interventions that can provide tailored assistance to individual children, fostering an environment where children receive personalised learning experiences and study meaningfully within their linguistic and cultural contexts. The ‘Model P&G Shiksha Mindspark Lab’ is an intervention that aims to deliver on this very need”, Pranav Kothari, CEO, Educational Initiatives, shared.
Providing early-age education through technology equips children to pursue their career aspirations upon graduation, significantly reducing the likelihood of school dropout. This approach substantially enhances their employability prospects, leading to a multitude of positive life outcomes. The initiative envisions a future where tribal communities experience improved education, enhanced quality of life, economic sustainability, cultural preservation and increased social inclusion. Through the collective efforts of P&G Shiksha and Ei Mindspark, the initiative aims to empower tribal communities and contribute to their holistic and sustainable development in the long run.
