Policy and Advocacy
Background
As scientists engaged in outreach, the VigyanShaala team quickly realized that solutions must work in tandem within government education systems. The Indian Central and State Government Education system, with budgets of hundreds of thousands of crores of rupees, is the most extensive network in the country. Even with the best intentions and modern methodologies, creating a parallel system to impact Indian education on this scale is neither feasible nor realistic. Collaborating with stakeholders within the existing system to implement meaningful changes is one of the most effective strategies for scaling the impact of any innovative approach we introduce, thus fostering systemic transformation.
The Opportunity and Challenge
While exploring various solutions, the VigyanShaala team had the opportunity to survey and understand the challenges in STEM education in government schools in Uttarakhand. As their first foray into policy work, the team delved into numerous research papers from leading education researchers. They engaged in discussions, debates, and learning sessions with experts from policy think tanks, educationists, and social science research professors.
With assistance from the Government of Uttarakhand and the education department, the team developed a comprehensive survey aimed at establishing a baseline understanding of the challenges facing STEM education in the Garhwal region. Over two months, a dedicated team of 25 volunteers surveyed nearly 150 schools and over 1,000 students, gathering insights from teachers’ perspectives.
The present status of progress is Data Validation Consistency Checks as well as filling up of the teacher-surveys. Watch this space for the results of what the survey tells us. Few Photos and Videos of our work have been presented below.
The Importance
It is essential to identify the main challenges students face in pursuing STEMC in their schools. These challenges span socio-economic factors, infrastructure (both human and physical), geographical aspects of the hilly terrain, and the historical significance of education in the state. The goal is to quantitatively rank these challenges and find cost-effective solutions. Given tight budgets, maximizing impact with minimal investment was crucial. The survey was designed to measure the baseline severity of these challenges.
The results were presented to stakeholders, including the education department, district magistrates, and teacher training centers (DIETs), aiming to drive systemic changes in administration, teacher training, and STEM education methodologies in the state. Preliminary data reveals that over 98% of teachers expect parents to teach children in grades 9-12, despite most students being first-generation learners.
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