Dropping out of school is a widespread occurrence in rural and economically backward areas. And Agastya’s mission is to educate every child in India. So, how do we fill this gap? Through Operation Vasantha.
Operation Vasantha (OV) is an afterschool program that works as a night learning centre in villages across the country. It benefits the community and its children. Dropouts and students both are welcome in this initiative.
How does this work? At OV centres, children learn, play and experiment. Multiple learning activities are designed with the syllabus from NCERT books. There is a lot of emphasis on learning through play. This is the basis of the Agastya Way of Learning. To aid the process, children are provided with kits and other learning materials free of charge.
Activities at OV Centres include singing, theatre, science experiments, art and craft projects, designing and building prototypes, language studies, environment studies, health guidance and more. Children are at the centre of this project. They are encouraged to learn, play, and be the children that they are.
Through the program, many school dropouts are also reengaged. They and their families see the benefits of schooling and often reenroll. Even if they are not absorbed back into the system, they learn through other means and gain practical knowledge. The goal is to get all children back in school.
This is often not the case in households where children contribute to the running. They work alongside their parents to earn and survive. OV centres run after school to also not interfere with this. Through the process, the volunteers and instructors of the program engage the parents as well. They try to show the long-term benefits of a proper school education. When the children start enjoying the activities, they become curious about schooling, also encouraging their parents to send them back.
This is not a hundred per cent successful initiative, but it has helped a majority of school dropouts get back on track. Ultimately, all children that attend become curious, confident and creative. This is the goal of Agastya.
OV centres also work in partnership with the communities they operate in, building a space for a more aware and conscious community. During the Covid19 lockdown, they became dispensers of medical aid and spread awareness about the importance of maintaining hygiene habits and social distancing.
As of 2022, there are two hundred and fifty-six Operation Vasantha centres that reached more than seven thousand children in the last year alone. Running across the country, they aid in creating a literate public and an educated future.
