Sarthak Yellow SLATEs
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Sarthak Yellow SLATEs (Sciences, Languages, Arts, Theater and Ethics)
This year, we are bringing our Yellow Rooms slum intervention model into the government school system of UP. We call this project – Yellow SLATEs.
The government primary and secondary schools of UP suffer from very low learning levels as per the 2022 ASER report. For instance, only 16% of standard-III children in government schools of UP are able to read a standard-II level text. Many children of even class VIII have never seen a computer or held a smartphone.
These children are at a distinct competitive disadvantage and even if they do manage to complete their education, they will find it difficult to compete with children from other schools.
Even among the poor, those who are even slightly economically better, will get their kids admitted to low-fee-private schools, therefore the government schools of UP serve the poorest and most marginalised children. There is an urgent need to intervene in the government school system of UP so that the future of these children is not lost.
The Yellow SLATEs project introduces a mini yellow room inside the government school premise. But it is unique in its approach to pedagogy because we use the element of theatre in the Yellow SLATEs class instruction.
The focus of the Yellow SLATEs project is threefold, to improve
- Fundamental numeracy and literacy
- Communication skills, confidence, feeling of belongingness & community and awareness of and pride in their cultural heritage (Sarthak’s custom Naitik Shiksha Curriculum)
- Digital learning and literacy
Each Yellow SLATEs will serve 500 to 800 children per school depending on the size of the school.
Our Approach
We will take over one classroom in a government composite school (primary + upper primary) and establish a Yellow SLATEs centre there, functioning during school hours as part of the regular school timetable. We are envisioning a Yellow SLATEs intervention for a minimum of three years. We will keep the Yellow SLATEs intervention active even during school holidays to ensure continuous engagement with the children. There is potential to have a real, deep and meaningful impact on the children.
