19th February 2024: A leading non-profit promoting girls’ education in rural India, together with the Rajasthan State Open School (RSOS) Educate Girls, honored over 200 adolescent girls who passed their 10th-class examinations as part of their Project Pragati in a joint event. The event also marked the launch their RSOS mobile app, developed with Educate Girls, making the enrolment and examination process accessible for Open School students.
The Project Pragati, implemented in 9 districts across Rajasthan, is a ‘second chance’ program by Educate Girls to empower out-of-school adolescent girls and young women to obtain their 10th-class certification through the Rajasthan State Open School. At the heart of the program is a Prerak, a community member who identifies out-of-school adolescent girls and young women, enrolls them in a government-open school, and supports their exam preparation through village-based learning camps.
Congratulating the Rajasthan State Open School on the initiative, Maharshi Vaishnav, CEO of Educate Girls, expressed: “Educate Girls began its work in Rajasthan’s Pali district in 2007, and we have since piloted many innovative initiatives here, thanks to the state’s girl-centric schemes and commitment to education. We are now adding another chapter to the story with Project Pragati. Propelled by schemes like Shiksha Setu Yojana, we are embarking on a mission to support 50,000 out-of-school girls to get their class 10 certification via the Rajasthan State Open School in the next three years.”
Beaming with enthusiasm, Varsha, a student from Pali district, said: “My studies often got disrupted because my family was constantly moving around in search of work. But thanks to Project Pragati, I could enroll in the Rajasthan State Open School, and my education didn’t have to stop! Now, I feel confident to pursue my dreams. This has changed everything!”
Rajasthan Education Secretary Navin Jain said, “The Rajasthan State Open School and Rajasthan Textbook Board are making effective contributions to the education sector in Rajasthan. For those whose education was interrupted, Rajasthan State Open School provides the opportunity to take their 10th and 12th-class exams. We are making the Open School exemplary with the help of technology. Our Rajasthan Education Initiative partner, Educate Girls, is doing commendable work connecting girls to education.”
The State-Level Girls’ Empowerment and Rajasthan Textbook Board Golden Jubilee Celebration on 14th February 2024 was attended by the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Diya Kumari, Education Minister Madan Dilawar, Education Secretary Navin Jain, Director of Samagra Shiksha State Project Avichal Chaturvedi, Director of Secondary Education Ashish Modi, Director of Rajasthan State Textbook Board Vinod Purohit, Director of Balika Shiksha Foundation and RSOS Praveen Lekhara, Educate Girls’ Chief Executive Officer Maharshi Vaishnav, along with supporters and well-wishers, whose contributions have been instrumental in bringing this initiative to fruition.
The partnership between Educate Girls and the Rajasthan State Open School demonstrates a shared commitment to empowering girls through education. Through collaborative efforts and a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education, initiatives like Project Pragati create opportunities for women’s inclusion and advancement.