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     PI Program
Reading Excitement - Story Posters: Making Children want to read
PI: Reading Activity Class
PI Program: Evaluation of Children's Reading Levels
     Science Program
Communicating the Reality, Excitement and Relevance of Science
     Math Program
Why Middle School Mathematics?
Goals of the Programme
Program Implementation
Mathematics Laboratory and Material
     English Program
Key Components & Methodology?
     Computer Program
Affordable Rural Computer Centers
Computer Melas
     Eureka Children's Library
Creating Continuously Learning Communities
Eureka Drama Festival
     AID INDIA in the Media
Eureka Scholarships for children at Vandavasi
NRI Teenager volunteers with AID INDIA
     Eureka Newsletter
Vol 1, Issue 1 - October 2007
     We Need Your Help
 
 
Tamilnadu's Learning Quality Crisis
 

Tamilnadu has 50,000 schools and 10 million school going children. 98% of children in the state join and attend primary school. But...

  • 50% children in 5th std cannot read a paragraph in Tamil.
  • 70% children in 5th std cannot do simple division problems.
  • Most children have never done even one science experiment in school.
  • Many 4-year-olds in balwadis cannot match two identical pictures - something even 1-year-olds in middle class families easily do.

There is a serious learning quality crisis in the state. AID INDIA is addressing this quality crisis with a 3-pronged strategy:

  • Developing Educational Resources
  • Improving Quality of Schools
  • Building up Community Initiatives in Education
 
 Education Program Overview

Tamil Reading Campaign
Being implemented in 13000 schools in 135 blocks in 9 districts - reaching out to nearly 8,00,000 children! An intense program called "Padippum Inikkum" in 7300 schools in 5 districts with Govt. support and a less intense reading excitement campaign in 6,000 schools in 4 more districts.

Eureka Village Libraries
We are running 2000 village libraries in clusters of 30-50 villages each in 42 blocks - reaching out on a regular basis to 1, 00,000 children. Apart from circulating books, these libraries also conduct regular activities for children and make learning fun.

Science Education Program
Being implemented in 300 schools in 12 blocks in 7 districts and 106 child labour schools in Krishnagiri. With UNICEF support, the Krishnagiri Collector is currently expanding this program to all 400 middle schools in the district. We have also supplied another 1000 schools across the state with Science Kits and Science Models.

Eureka Schools
We are running two free model nursery and primary schools - one in Walodai Village (near Kalpakkam) and another in Tirupanamur Village (near Kanchipuram). These schools demonstrate how fun and activity based learning methods can be used to bring about excellent learning outcomes.

Eureka Scholarship
We currently support 350 poorest children (many without parents) from villages and slums with a small scholarship. Every month we also organize a workshop for these children to build up their skills and confidence. We also organize learning festivals for these children regularly.

Pre-Primary Education
Being implemented in 116 Balwadis in 2 blocks - in Villivakkam Block in Chennai and in Latur Block in Kanchipuram District. We are currently field testing and finalizing the pre-primary module. In the coming year we will expand the program to other districts.

Eureka Books
We have been producing a large number of books, story cards, science materials, reading kits, science kits, videos, board games, etc. Eureka Books mass produces these educational materials and sells it at cost to schools and individuals across the state. We have distribution outlets at 9 locations - Chennai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Vandavasi, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Koovathur, Sivagangai and Banavaram.