According to a UNESCO report of September 2016, “India will be half a century late in achieving its universal education goals.” Hence, we will achieve universal primary education only by 2050.
THE CHALLENGE
India has 300 million children enrolled in school. About 150 million 5-10 year olds are in primary education; of which nearly 50% cannot read well. Inability of children to read at grade level hits India’s poorest the hardest, leading to entrenched poverty in society. If all 5-10 year old children are reading for fun and for meaning, they do well in school and are prepared to bring positive change to all, leading to sustainability for the people and the planet
THE 300M ALLIANCE
Even to reach universal reading for all our children by 2050, India will need all of us to help! Hence a group of like-minded people and organizations, initiated by Katha as Lead Partner, is on a mission to change things for our children—taking baby steps at first!
WAVE 1 OF 300M CHALLENGE
VISION
Every child reading well, for fun and for meaning, to create a sustainable world for all. Every child a Reader-Leader!
MISSION: We will —
1. Bring all children to reading for fun and meaning, starting with primary school children. We’ll strive to be disruptive—faster, more frugal, more far-reaching and efficient.
2. Strengthen reading for meaning with fun, colourful books that focus on Girls. Earth. Equity. Kindness. We believe children can be the change that can make India a more compassionate space for all life forms if they have books that give them stories that have problem-solving protagonists and deep-thinking characters.
3. Bring in grassroots and civil society volunteers where each one teaches one—be the one—whether a school, a library or an individual child.
4. LEAP! We will Leverage, Advocate and Partner for strength, so children and adults who can read, read together with diffident child-readers who are at risk of
dropping out of school.
5. And so…strengthen the government school system with mindful, well-designed books and learning that enhance the joy of learning
We have some fabulous partners from social, education and corporate sectors willing to contribute and make it a better world for children! Join us in this journey!