Jump to content

Ekal Vidyalaya: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
restore removed sourced information
B.vikram.b (talk | contribs)
183 edits
m For education in India no need to quote a Pakistan daily.
Line 146: Line 146:
|date=2 October 2005
|date=2 October 2005
|accessdate=2010-12-18}}</ref> <!-- How is this controversial at all? SITU is linked to CPM, NSUI to INC and ABVP to BJP, association with party does not make anything controversial.--><!--The FTS has been linked to the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/archive_full_story.php?content_id=39391
|accessdate=2010-12-18}}</ref> <!-- How is this controversial at all? SITU is linked to CPM, NSUI to INC and ABVP to BJP, association with party does not make anything controversial.--><!--The FTS has been linked to the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/archive_full_story.php?content_id=39391
|title=Growing Tribe: Following the BJP victory in MP, the Sangh-affiliated Vanbandhu Parishad will open 500 more schools in tribal areas |last=Bal | first=Hartosh Singh |publisher=[[The Indian Express]] |accessdate=2011-05-02}}</ref>--> In an article in the [[Daily Times (Pakistan)|Daily Times]] of [[Pakistan]], Khalid Hasan described the Ekal Vidyalayas as having a "curriculum steeped in instilling hatred against non-Hindu religious minorities".<ref>{{cite web
|title=Growing Tribe: Following the BJP victory in MP, the Sangh-affiliated Vanbandhu Parishad will open 500 more schools in tribal areas |last=Bal | first=Hartosh Singh |publisher=[[The Indian Express]] |accessdate=2011-05-02}}</ref>-->
|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\11\09\story_9-11-2008_pg1_5
|title=Yet another controversial Obama appointment
|work=[[Daily Times (Pakistan)]]
|date=November 9, 2008
|first=Khalid | last=Hasan}}</ref>


According to Prakash Sharma, media convener of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, "The Ekal vidyalayas are our effort to reach the most deprived areas of the country. Christian missionaries get funds from all over the world: the entire Christian empire backs them. Ours is a completely indigenous effort”<ref name=tehelka1/>
According to Prakash Sharma, media convener of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, "The Ekal vidyalayas are our effort to reach the most deprived areas of the country. Christian missionaries get funds from all over the world: the entire Christian empire backs them. Ours is a completely indigenous effort”<ref name=tehelka1/>

Revision as of 14:54, 3 March 2012

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation
Formation1986
TypeVolunteer organisation
PurposeEducation & Primary Health in Tribal and Rural India
HeadquartersNew Delhi, India. Houston, USA
Location
  • India, United States
Region served
India
Websitewww.ekal.org
Number of Schools37000
Number of Students11,00,000
EKAL USA
FounderRamesh Shah
Type501(c)(3)
77-0554248
FocusEducation
Location
  • Houston, USA
Area served
India
Key people
Ramesh Shah, Ashok Danda, Vinod Jhunjhunwala
Websitehttp://www.ekal.org/

The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (Hindi: एकल विद्यालय संस्थान,[1] literally Foundation of Solo Schools) is a non-profit organisation involved in education and village development in rural India.[2] It is the largest grassroots, non-government education initiative in India with presence in over 37,000 villages providing free education to more than one million children.[2][3] The Foundation's model of operation is single-teacher schools.[1]

Establishment and growth

The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF) was established in 1986 by Rakesh Popli, a US-returned Indian nuclear scientist, and his wife Rama Popli, a child education specialist.[1] The couple established the foundation's first single-teacher school in Gumla in Jharkhand (then a part of Bihar).[1] In two years' time, the movement was more successful than expected and in 1989, 60 single-teacher schools were started simultaneously in Dhanbad. By 1995-1996, the foundation was running 1,200 schools in Jharkhand.[1][4]

As of April 2008, there were more than 23,000 schools run by EVF, including 2,100 schools in the North Eastern states.[1][5] The number of schools grew to 27,000 in 2010 and 34,000 in 2011.[2][6] EVF's goal is to reach 100,000 villages in the India's tribal belt by 2015.[7]

EVF is associated with the Hindu nationalist movements Vishva Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).[8][9] In the past, the foundation has been headed by the Subhash Chandra, the Chairman of Essel Group and the founder of Zee TV.[7]

Activities

Education

EVF's philosophy is to take a holistic approach to social and economic development, providing primary school education for children, as well as healthcare, livelihoods and empowerment education for the entire village.[10] The schools are primarily organized in small villages among India's tribal groups. The local youth who are trained to operate the schools are social workers and teachers, teaching sanitation and health care, literacy and Hindu nationalism.[11] Each school is run on an annual budget of around 16,000 Indian rupees. At the national level, the schools are run by Ekal Vidyalayas are run by EVF, Friends of Tribals Society (FTS), Bharat Lok Shiksha Parishad (BLSP) and Janhit Sanstha.[12][13] In addition to teaching children, the schools hold weekly sessions for the village populace to discuss issues like rural development, health and awakening.[12]

Other activities

EVF also works in tribal areas on health care education with the emphasis on hygiene, treatment of general diseases, maternal and child care. The foundation operates 11,450 health centers in India for people living in rural and tribal India.[14] In May 2011, EVF launched the Vermi Compost Project, a pilot project with an aim to introduce self-sustaining practices in 100 poor villages of Orissa and Maharashtra.[15]

Controversy

According to an enquiry committee report of the Indian Human Resource Development ministry, most of the schools reading and learning materials are scarce and there is strong emphasis on Hindu teachings.[16] Angana Chatterji, associate professor of anthropology at California Institute of Integral Studies, identified Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA as one of the charities in the US that had allocated money "disproportionately directed to Hindutva-affiliated groups".[17] In May 2005 the Union Human Resource Development Ministry stopped grants to Ekal Vidyalayas run by the FTS in collaboration with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad following a study that said the FTS was "misusing these funds, and using the grants for creating disharmony amongst religious groups and creating a political cadre".[16] The report said "These funds were being diverted to generate hatred toward minorities, and condition the minds of children".[18]

According to Prakash Sharma, media convener of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, "The Ekal vidyalayas are our effort to reach the most deprived areas of the country. Christian missionaries get funds from all over the world: the entire Christian empire backs them. Ours is a completely indigenous effort”[9]

International fund raising

The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA is active in fundraising. In June 2008 the Atlanta chapter entertained guests with a music program at a fundraising event.[19] In May 2009 the Southern California chapter launched its annual fundraising drive.[20] A benefit concert in Chicago in July 2009 raised $160,000.[21] In September 2009 the San Diego chapter raised about $14,000 at a cultural event featuring music and dance.[22] The organization announced that a similar event in Dallas in November 2009 had been very successful.[23] In May 2010 a fundraising concert in Chicago was attended by over 600 people and raised pledges of $82,525.[24] The same month, Ekal Vidyalaya raised almost $500,000 from five charity shows in the mid-Atlantic region.[6]

EVF Australia was set up in 2004 and as of March 2006 had sponsored 85 schools.[25] In 2006 the National Hindu Students Forum (UK) selected Ekal Vidyalaya as the main recipient of fundraising during its annual Sewa Week drive.[26]

School Distribution by States

File:School Distribution.png
School Distribution by States

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Visfot.com (April 15, 2008). "शिक्षा और विकास का एकल प्रयास" (in Hindi). Visfot.com. Retrieved September 9, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c "Galveston celebrates 'Enchantment of India'". The Times of India. February 21, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ Indo-Asian News Service (September 10, 2008). "मुफ्त शिक्षा देता एक शिक्षक का विद्यालय" (in Hindi). Josh 18. Retrieved September 9, 2011. देश के 27 हजार गांवों के आठ लाख वनवासी बच्चों को एकल विद्यालय फाउंडेशन मुफ्त शिक्षा उपलब्ध करा रहा है। (Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is making free education available to 11,00,000 students in 37,000 villages of the country. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "About Us". Friends of Tribals Society. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  5. ^ "Urban-rural exchange in Ekal conference". The Telegraph. April 7, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2010. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ a b "Ekal collects $ 420,000 for tribal schools". Rediff News. June 11, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  7. ^ a b "Essel Cares: Ekal Vidyalaya". Essel Group. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
  8. ^ Dhar, Aarti. "Making inroads into the tribal belt". The Hindu. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  9. ^ a b Vishnu, G (20 April 2011). "Sangh owns one of the fastest growing education projects". Tehelka. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation". Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-15.[unreliable source?]
  11. ^ Spring, Joel H. (2008). Globalization of education: an introduction. Taylor & Francis. p. 158. ISBN 0415989469.
  12. ^ a b Correspondent, Navada. "अब आयी एकल विद्यालय की अवधारणा" (in Hindi). Prabhat Khabar. Retrieved September 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya aims at taking the school to the children". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
  14. ^ http://www.nritoday.net/national-affairs/453-ekal-vidyalaya-foundation-chicago-holds-fundraising-concert
  15. ^ DC Reporter (May 11, 2011). "NGO launches programme to help with farming practices". Development Channel. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  16. ^ a b Joshua, Anita (May 19, 2005). "Centre stops grants to `one-teacher schools'". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  17. ^ Angana Chatterji (Oct 04 2008). "It's still religion, stupid". Indian Express. Retrieved 2010-12-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Menon, Mukundan C (2 October 2005). "Another Blow to VHP". The Milli Gazette. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  19. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation reaffirms peoples' faith". Atlanta Dunia. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  20. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya to Hold Fundraising Program". India Journal. Retrieved 2010-07-24. {{cite web}}: Text "Apr 23, 2009" ignored (help)
  21. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya benefit concert raises $160,000". IndiaPost. 2009-07-24. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  22. ^ "Ekal Vidyalaya Holds Fundraiser in San Diego". India Journal. Sep 24, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  23. ^ "Ekal Dallas Gets One Step Closer to Achieving Mahatma Gandhi's Dream of a Literate India". IssuesWire. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA. November 11, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  24. ^ Suresh & Usha Bodiwala (2010-05-28). "Faith and philanthropy is all set to get a new meaning with Ekal Vidyalaya charitable musical concert at Chicago". TribLocal. Retrieved 2010-07-24. [dead link]
  25. ^ "The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF)" (PDF). NEWS LETTER Vol.5 Jan - Mar 2006. Hindu Council of Australia Ltd. Retrieved 2010-02-15. [dead link]
  26. ^ "NHSF National Charity 2006-07 - Saraswati Vidyalaya". National Hindu Students Forum (UK). Retrieved 2010-02-15.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ekal_Vidyalaya&oldid=479984045"