BYJU’S, the world’s leading edtech company, has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation in an endeavor to strengthen its mission to provide students access to quality education and positively impact the lives of underprivileged children. Launched under BYJU’S social initiatives effort ‘Education For All’, this collaboration aims to provide continuity of learning to around 2 lakh underprivileged children across multiple states including remote areas of the country, even as schools remain partially closed.
The digital education initiative, also a part of Akshaya Patra’s flagship National Endeavour for Student Transformation (NEST) initiative, seeks to engage the education system to complement the quality of education through collective efforts. With this collaboration, BYJU’S will offer high-quality and tech-driven learning programmes by providing free streaming licenses and smart classrooms to the students.
Speaking on the initiative, Divya Gokulnath, Co-founder, BYJU’S said, “BYJU’S has a strong vision to undertake various transformative social initiatives for the upliftment of children across different sections of society and bridge the gap between quality education and digital access. We are delighted to collaborate with the Akshaya Patra Foundation which has been working relentlessly to boost meal programmes for school children in India. Our partnership with them is a significant step towards making a lasting impact on the development of children’s welfare through education and well-being. The cornerstone of our philosophy is centered around bringing a tangible impact to our existing education ecosystem, and we are honoured to have partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation and strengthen our social impact initiative, Education for All.”
The collaborative initiative aims to empower children in Government and aided schools by providing an interactive and innovative learning experience with access to a world-class digital platform and professionally-curated content. To start with, BYJU’S and Akshaya Patra, along with the Government of Uttarakhand, have already launched a free education program for children from economically weaker sections.
Mr. Shridhar Venkat, CEO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said “At Akshaya Patra, our constant endeavours are to ensure that no child is deprived of education due to hunger. We do what we do to further the cause of education, a fundamental right of every child, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds. We firmly believe that digital inclusiveness can help in creating a world where children from economically weaker sections do not have to forfeit opportunities because of affordability or accessibility issues. This collaboration with BYJU’S is our attempt to bridge the digital divide and further digital inclusiveness by providing children good quality, modern education free of cost.”
He further added, “The Government, on its part, has been making considerable efforts to provide quality education to children studying in Government and aided schools. This initiative is our attempt to proactively contribute to the Government’s concerted efforts on this front.”
The collaboration is of many efforts of The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s flagship initiative, National Endeavour for Student Transformation (NEST), whose goal is to create a conducive environment in schools to contribute to students’ learning outcomes whilst providing them an enjoyable schooling experience.
In this pursuit, the Foundation has found an able ally in the form of BYJU’S who have been striving to take digital learning to as many children as possible through their social initiatives, giving these children a chance at remote learnings.
Launched in 2020, ‘Education for All’ is BYJU’S flagship social initiative program that aims to democratise education and ensure that every child has an opportunity to learn. The program is committed to empowering children in the most remote geographies and underserved communities through tech-driven learning. With a mission to empower 5 million underprivileged children by 2025, the company has partnered with 100 NGOs across 26 states to bring a positive systemic change to the education ecosystem.
BYJU’S Education For All:
With an aim to make digital learning accessible to millions of children from underserved communities, BYJU’S, the world’s leading edtech company, launched its social initiative – Education for All in September 2020. The program aims at democratising education by ensuring that children across all economic backgrounds get equal access to quality learning opportunities. The “Education for All” initiative serves to enable students from underserved and economically deprived communities with a better chance at upward social and economic mobility. This initiative aims at bridging the educational and digital divide by making quality learning accessible to the children in need. With over 100 partners like American India Foundation, United Way, Right to Live, Magic Bus, SOS, Save the Children, CRY and more across 26 states in India, the program has created a positive impact and reached over 35 lakh students in the last 1 year across the country. The company aims to accelerate its impact in reaching children who have no access to learning both on its own and through partnerships.
About The Akshaya Patra Foundation
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Government and Government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims to fight hunger and, at the same time, bring children to school. Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching out to children with wholesome food every single school day. The Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and attract curious visitors from around the world.
In partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments and the inestimable support of many philanthropic donors and well-wishers, Akshaya Patra has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools to becoming the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme, serving wholesome food to over 1.8 million children from 19,039 schools [as of March 2020] across 13 states and one union territory in India.
